


Arrested

by gaydemonium



Series: The Arrested Trilogy [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments, Shadowhunters
Genre: Cop Alec, F/M, M/M, Malec, Malec Fluff, Malec Smut, Saphael, clace, con man magnus, fluffy pink handcuffs, unfortunate incident in a squad car
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-07-14 07:20:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 29
Words: 71,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7159325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaydemonium/pseuds/gaydemonium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The law is hard but it is the law"</p><p>Alec Lightwood is a cop for the NYPD. He comes from a long line of cops in the family. He loves his job. He loves following the law. </p><p>He's also gay. </p><p>One day he brings in a con man that his father had been hunting down for months, only to discover how inhumanly beautiful he is. The con man, Magnus Bane, strikes a deal with Alec and both men are now working on a case together. Alec can't take his mind off this criminal, no matter how hard he tries. Magnus gets under his skin like no other person has ever done before. </p><p>Over time, Magnus opens his eyes to the world around him and Alec soon realizes that sometimes you have to break the law in order to follow it. </p><p>*Shadowhunter/TMI AU*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is a wip so bear with me. Any spelling mistakes you find just let me know and I'll fix them right away. 
> 
> Had this concept in mind for a while because who doesn't love hot cops? Who doesn't love the idea of Alec Lightwood as a sexy cop patrolling the streets? And Magnus Bane as a con man? The role suits him to a T. 
> 
> Anyhoo enjoy! Let me know what you think!

"Lieutenant Lightwood, we have a 10-30 in progress at Pandemonium. Officers are at the site now. Requesting backup immediately."

Alec picked up his radio. "10-4 on that. Backup is on the way."

Jace groaned, slapping down his cheeseburger back in its bag. "I literally just bit into this, Alec. I can never enjoy any food while on patrol when I'm with you."

"They don't pay us to sit in the squad car and eat, Jace. We're cops. We fight crime-don't put that on the floor! You'll get stains on it! Look, just eat it quickly and toss the bag into a trash bin when we reach the crime scene."

Jace did what he was told, quickly shoving the burger into his mouth. "That sucked. I didn't even taste it or remotely enjoy it."

Alec ignored him as he started up the squad car and turned on the sirens. When the sirens were going, he was all business. 

Pandemonium had cop cars surrounding the entire entrance of the building when they pulled up. Alec could see his father, Robert, standing behind the door of his own vehicle with his gun out and pointed towards the front entrance. 

"Dad-I mean, Commissioner Lightwood. What's going on?" Alec whispered as he approached his father by the squad car. 

Robert sighed. "Robbery gone wrong. Call came in about ten minutes ago from a pedestrian outside. Shots were fired inside."

Alec took his gun out and clicked the safety off. "Hostages?"

Robert nodded. "No count yet, but we suspect ten or so. Mostly employees who work here. Where's Jace?"

Alec looked over his shoulder. His partner was nowhere to be seen. "Well, he was with me a second ago. He just ate a burger-"

"Typical Jace. Look, just keep an eye on the entrance for me, would you? I'm going to get a megaphone from one of the officers here. See if we can convince the moron who's got people inside to surrender. Stay here. That's an order," he clapped his son on the shoulder before going over to another officer and talking in a low voice. 

Alec aimed his gun at the night club entrance and sighed. Where the hell was Jace? If he had actually gone and went looking for a trash bin for his garbage, then he was going to give him hell later. There was no time to be acting dumb. They were on the job. 

Something at the side of the building caught his eye. Movement. Squinting under the sunlight, Alec focused on the figure moving alongside the club. After a few seconds of staring, his eyes grew wide when he realized what he was looking at. 

Jace. 

He was climbing onto a garbage bin and reaching up for the open window above his head. Alec scrunched his face to keep from yelling out to his partner. What an idiot. Always sticking his neck out and risking getting shot or killed, or in Alec's mind, demoted. 

Alec looked over his shoulder. No one was watching him. The officers on scene were all in their own little worlds as they poured over maps of the building and closed off the area to pedestrians. So he took a deep breath and snuck over to where Jace was. 

"Idiot! What the hell are you doing?!" Alec hissed. 

Jace jumped in fright, nearly toppling the trash bin he was standing on over. "Oh hey, partner. Here to lend a hand?"

"No. I'm here to drag you back to the car before you get us both killed. Or get the people inside killed."

"Relax, Alec. I know what I'm doing," Jace reached up for the window again. "This window leads to the supply room. The only thing we have to worry about in here are violent mops and cleaning supplies with a history of not doing their job properly."

Alec cringed as Jace knocked over a trash bin. "How do you know this is the window to the supply room?"

Jace paused. "I just do, okay? Trust me on this. Just trust me, partner. I know what I'm doing."

Alec sighed heavily through his nose. "I do trust you, Jace. But....." He looked up and saw Jace frowning down on him. "You're making way too much noise out here. We're going to get caught if you don't keep quiet."

Jace's frown turned into a full blown grin. "That's my Alec. I knew you couldn't resist the thrill of getting caught. Besides. It's more fun to break the rules than to follow them."

After Alec hoisted his partner up through the window, he jumped and grabbed hold of the window sill and pulled himself up and through. He landed with a grunt beside Jace in a pitch black room that smelled strongly of cleaning supplies. 

"Ugh, Jace. It stinks in here!" Alec gagged and coughed. 

"Be thankful it wasn't the men's bathroom. That place smells like something died in there," Jace flicked on his flashlight and scanned the room. "The door's right there. It leads to a small hallway with a right hand turn. Then it's the main room."

"Main room?"

"Dance floor, Alec. It's the dance floor."

Alec blushed. "Oh. Right. Sorry. I've never been here before so I wouldn't know."

Jace shrugged. "I'll take you here one night. You might meet a nice girl. This place is packed with beautiful women. Especially on Friday nights."

Alec said nothing to this as Jace quietly opened the supply closet door. It was ironic, really. Jace telling him about finding a nice girl, then being in a closet and Alec about to come out of it. If the situation at the moment wasn't so dire, Alec would've laughed. 

They both crept down the hallway, where they could hear talking not far from where they froze in place. Jace put a finger to his lips, shushing Alec when it wasn't even necessary, and slowly inched forward towards the voices. When Alec finally had a view of the dance floor, he quickly took out his gun and readied it. 

The man standing up and talking wore a ski mask and waved a gun around, yelling incoherently about how the club makes more money than he ever dreamed of stealing. There were people sitting on the floor. Some were crying. Others stared at the masked man as he spoke. 

Jace aimed his gun at the masked man. "I've got a clean shot. I can put a stop to this right now-"

"No," Alec hissed. "Don't shoot unless you have to. We don't know if he's hurt anyone yet. Keep this clean, Jace. Think of the paperwork we'd have to fill out if you kill this guy."

Jace shrugged. "True. Good point. Cover me. I'm going in."

Alec readied his own gun as Jace tiptoed closer to the scene. The masked man still wasn't aware of their presence. He was still rambling on, occasionally pointing his gun at one of the hostages and causing them to flinch in fear. 

Jace looked like he had enough. He stood to his full height, pointing his gun at the masked criminal. "Freeze! NYPD! Put your gun down now!"

The masked man whipped around and aimed at Jace. "How the hell did you get in here?!"

"I said put down the gun! Don't make repeat myself a third time," Jace inched closer, gun still pointed at the masked man. "Lower your gun. We can talk this out."

The masked man laughed. "What's there to talk about? Do you know how much this place makes? I can pay for my rent for the next two years with the money from this place. I just need to get Mr. Glitter over here to tell me where the goddamn safe is!"

Alec peered around the wall he was hiding behind to see who this Glitter person was. All he could see was a tuft of dark hair sticking up from above a table. This Glitter guy was back on to him.

"Look. Just put down the gun and we'll work something out together. No one has to get hurt here," Jace kept his gun on the masked man as he spoke. "We can all just walk away from this. It's that simple."

The masked man chuckled, shaking his head. "No. It actually isn't. You cops make how much money a year? I can barely scrape by and pay my rent. Sometimes I don't even have enough for food. I have to make a choice then. Do I want a home? Or do I want to eat?"

Jace's face was grim. "I'm sorry to hear that. But this isn't the answer. Holding these people hostage isn't the answer to your problems-"

"Shut up! Just shut up! I've had enough of this talk! Glitter Boy! Show me where the goddamn safe is before I shoot up the place!"

Alec watched as the man who was back into him stood up, hands raised as the masked man pointed the gun in his direction. He then got to his feet and approached Jace, weapon at the ready. "Don't move! NYPD! Don't take another step!"

The masked man groaned. "Of course there's two of you. He must be your partner, huh?"

Jace never said a word. His focus was on the gun in the robber's hand. 

"Listen to me. My partner is right. We can help you. Let us help you figure out a way to pay your rent, because this isn't the right way. You're scaring these innocent people-"

A gun went off and the hostages screamed. Jace looked around frantically before resting his eyes on Alec. Alec was just as surprised as he was. 

The masked man began to cough and choke. He looked down at his chest and everyone saw a large blood stain beginning to form in the middle of his chest. 

"Alec, call dispatch now and get an ambulance in here immediately!" Jace rushed over to the masked man and put pressure on the wound. 

Alec, still in shock, stared down at the body as Jace tried to stop the bleeding on the floor. He forgot how to even call dispatch. He forgot how to breathe. He forgot how to do everything. 

"Pretty Boy. Did you hear what your partner just said?" A voice whispered to him. 

Alec woke up from his moment of shock. "Huh? What?"

He turned to look at who was speaking to him. This must've been the Glitter Boy that the masked man was talking about not even five minutes ago. He was right about the glitter part. The man's eyes were a soft brown, almond shaped, and the eyelids were covered with glitter eyeshadow. His hair was dark with flecks of glitter spread all over it. Even his clothes had glitter over it. 

"I take it you're not the pants of this partnership?" The man laughed. 

Alec began to stutter. "I-I...well y-you see-"

The glitter man raised a hand. "No need to explain yourself. Not to me, anyway. What you do need to do now is help the poor man that I shot."

Alec's attention snapped to the man beside him. "What did you just say?"

The man smiled. "I shot him. He was scaring these poor people. He threatened to hurt us if we tried to escape. He needed to be stopped. My gun also isn't registered, by the way."

"You shot him."

"Yes. Is there an echo in my club that I wasn't aware of?"

Alec put his gun back in his holster as he reached for his handcuffs. "This is your club?"

The man bleed his head. "Yup. Up until an hour ago, I wasn't the owner. I'm Magnus, by the way. Magnus Bane. I just conned my way into the owner giving it to me."

Alec raised an eyebrow as the man continued to smile at him. "So you admit to shooting this man and you admit to conning the owner of this club into giving it to you. Anything else you want to admit while we're here?"

Magnus smiled broadly. "Yes. There is, actually. I'll admit that I'm undeniably attracted to you right now."

Alec stiffened as he took out his handcuffs. "That's nice. Now turn around. You're arrested for the....um....uh....."

Magnus chuckled. "I know my crimes, handsome. You don't have to list them off to me."

Alec said nothing as he cuffed Magnus. "Jace. Is he dead?"

Jace sighed heavily. His hands and uniform were covered in blood. "The shot went through the heart. I couldn't stop the blood even if I had the right training for this sort of injury."

Alec closed his eyes. "Mr. Bane-"

"Mr. Bane is my father. You can call me Magnus."

"Magnus. You understand what you've done here, right?"

Magnus shrugged. "I suppose. Shooting a man does have its consequences, right?"

Forcing himself to ignore Magnus' cocky smile, Alec made sure the cuffs on the man's wrists were secure. "Come on. You're coming with me."

"Sounds delightful. But can we do it at my place? Where the cuffs are pink and fluffy and don't imply I'm on my way to the clink?"

Jace coughed behind Alec, more than likely covering up a laugh. Alec scowled. "Shut up, Jace. We're in trouble too. Don't forget. We went against strict orders-"

"I know, brother. I know. The law is hard but it is the law," Jace half smiled. 

Alec returned the half smile. "Right. Let's do this...." He ushered the hostages together, making sure no one was harmed or injured in any way before opening the entrance to the club to face the consequences of his actions.


	2. Chapter Two

"You morons! Idiots! Do you not realize what you've done today?!" 

Back at the station, Alec winced at the sound of his father's angry voice as he was lectured about following the rules. He felt as if he were a kid again, getting yelled at for doing something he shouldn't have done. 

"With all due respect, Commissioner, we went inside the club with full intentions of doing what you were too scared to do. You were sitting outside doing nothing," Jace said. "Plus we got the job done. No one was hurt. Unless you count the perp who robbed the place to begin with."

Alec nudged his partner under the table with a foot. He couldn't talk to the Commissioner like that! Nobody could! Even if his father did have a soft spot for Jace, it still didn't look good to be talking back to the head honcho like this. When Jace messes up, it was usually Alec who took the punishment. It's been that way since they were kids. 

Robert stared at Jace, eyes hard and cold. "You. Get out of my office. Start writing up the report of today's incident. I want that on my desk before you leave this precinct today."

Jace nodded. "Yes sir." He gave Alec a small smile before leaving the office. 

When the door clicked shut behind Jace, Alec had never felt more alone in this office now that he was gone. This could go either way with his father. He could either give Alec a lecture about obeying the law, or he could just brush it away like dust on the floor. 

"Alexander. What the hell happened out there today?" Robert asked. 

Alec sighed. "Dad. I am so sorry about Jace's behaviour. I told him this was a bad idea but he wouldn't listen to me. So I just....I went along with it. I realize that it was a mistake now. I really do-"

He was cut off as his father raised a hand. "Alec. The man you brought in today. You know who he is, right?"

"Magnus Bane. That's what he told me his name was."

Robert nodded. "Yes, that is his name. But do you realize who he is? What his crimes are?"

Alec shook his head. "No. I don't."

Robert pulled out a case file and handed it to him. "Take a look at his file. We've been tracking him for three years now. We've never actually been able to pin anything on him until now. You brought in a criminal that even my best boys failed to do."

Alec flipped through the file. Black and white photos of Magnus being handed money jumped out at him more ban any other photo. "So.....what? He's a con man?"

"You bet your ass he's a con man. Best this state has ever seen. I've been told he's quite persuasive in the art of getting what he wants. Has he said anything to you? Anything out of the ordinary?"

I'll admit that I'm undeniably attracted to you right now

Alec swallowed nervously. "No. Nothing. He's not much of a talker when he's around me." That's a complete lie Alec thought to himself. 

Robert chuckled. "That's because he knows you're a good cop. Nobody talks when they're in the presence of true authority. You intimidated the bastard." Robert got to his feet to come around the front of his desk, sitting down at the corner of it. "Listen, kiddo. What you and Jace did today was out of line. You went against strict orders."

Alec looked down at his shoes. "Yes, sir."

"That's why I'm promoting you."

"Yes, sir-wait. What?!" 

Robert laughed. "Did you think I was demoting one of my best officers? You're a Lightwood. A legacy. Your name will be passed down through many generations and everyone who hears it will know it."

Alec felt his heart drop to his stomach. "Yes, sir. I understand. But I don't know if I'm ready to be a Detective-"

"You're ready because I say you're ready. Not when you think you are. Now get out before people start to think we're having a father/son moment," Robert waved a hand, basically dismissing Alec. "Oh and Alec? Tell Jace he has a double shift tonight. Call it punishment for defying orders."

Alec nodded. "Will do, sir."

Jace was sitting at their desk when Alec returned. "Shit. Did he give you hell? Dude, I'm beyond sorry about today-"

"Relax, Jace. It's fine. He just gave me a lecture about obeying orders."

Jace sighed in relief. "Fuck. Thank god."

Alec bit his lip. "And he also promoted me to Detective."

Jace jumped out of his seat, causing the other officers to jump in surprise. "He did what?! Are you serious?!"

Alec found himself in Jace's arms as he was hugged tightly. "Can't breathe here, Jace," he coughed when he was released from his partner's vice grip. "Yeah. He promoted me. Apparently the guy we brought in was a criminal my dad had been trying to arrest for a while." He rubbed his face with a hand. "I'm just as shocked as you are on this. I was expecting a dock in pay or something. Not a damn promotion."

"Magnus Bane?" Jace whistled. "Dude. You've got to be the luckiest cop I've ever seen. You survive drug bust shootouts without a scratch. You survive a car accident unscathed. You survived our dad yelling at you over a mistake and get promoted instead. I kinda hate you right now."

Alec smirked and punched his brother playfully on the shoulder. "You're just jealous I got the promotion and you didn't."

Jace sat down at his desk and snorted. "Nah. I like being a Lieutenant. Chicks dig the uniform. They see me pulling up in a squad car and get all hot and bothered when I step out all dressed up for them."

Alec rest his cheek in his hand, watching Jace as he imitated how he thinks girls look at him. "Yes. That's exactly how girls get around you."

Jace slapped his desk. "See?! Even you notice! So it's got to be true!"

A pair of long arms suddenly draped around Alec's neck and someone kissed his cheek. "Hey big bro. Heard you had an exciting day today."

Alec looked up to see his younger sister Isabelle standing behind him. "Hey, sis. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Alec. I'm two weeks ahead in my course. I think I can afford to skip a day or two," Isabelle scoffed. She sat down on top of Alec's desk and crossed her long legs. She was dressed in a knee length blue dress with black six inch heels. Alec guessed she just came from the courthouse. "Where's daddy? Is he here today?"

"Office. Just finished yelling at me and Jace for screwing up today at Pandemonium," Alec answered. "Did you want him for anything?"

"Oh no. Just wanted to see how the old man was doing. You know. Something to do-speaking of Pandemonium, what happened there? I didn't get to see the news earlier. I was working on a case for school."

Isabelle was a law student in New York, and much like the rest of the Lightwood family, believed that the law was important (but that didn't stop her from breaking it from time to time). She was hardworking and dedicated. Top of her class, she had a bright future ahead of her. 

Jace laughed. "Oh, sis. You missed the whole thing. It was right up your alley. Alec and I snuck into the club while there was a robbery in progress."

"It was more a hostage situation, really. Jace thought it was a bright idea to go in without proper backup and save the day like heroes," Alec ignored Jace's middle finger. "Luckily, neither of us got hurt but-"

"The perp got killed by one of the hostages. Which is ironic. But he got what he deserved, didn't he Alec?"

Alec shrugged. The man only wanted money to pay his rent and buy food so he wouldn't starve. He was desparate. Desparate to survive. He didn't have to die. 

Isabelle clicked her tongue. "Sounds like you two had an eventful day. I went out and bought shoes. That's as exciting as my day gets. Oh and tampons too-"

"Okay. That's enough of Isabelle's day out. Back to our story. I wasn't finished. Alec here is a Detective now."

Isabelle's mouth dropped open. "You got a promotion?! Alec that's amazing! I'm so proud of you!"

Alec beamed as she hugged him. "Thanks. No more uncomfortable uniform. I can wear what I want."

"Alec. They say that, but there's always a dress code. Always. I can help you pick out some outfits. We can go shopping tomorrow-"

Jace cleared his throat, cutting Isabelle off. "I think our brother needs to go shopping with me, Izzy. Man to man. No offence to you. I'm sure your taste in fashion is impeccable."

Isabelle put her hands on her hips and stared Jace down. "Your taste in fashion includes New York Mets jerseys and jeans that cut off the air supply to your balls. But no offence to you."

Jace's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. 

"Okay, children. Enough of this. Isabelle, dad's in his office if you need to speak with him. Right now, Jace and I have to move our con man in custody to the interrogation room," Alec got to his feet. Even standing up, he was still much taller than Isabelle and she was wearing six inch heels. 

"Right. I'll leave you boys to it then. As for you, I'll be calling you bright and early tomorrow to go clothing shopping. Don't turn off your phone because I know where you live. I'll break down your door," Isabelle smiled and hugged Alec. "See you guys later. Love you both."

After saying goodbye, Alec and Jace made their way to the cell where Magnus was contained. The officer on guard let them in, and Magnus, who was sitting on his little cot, brightened considerably as soon as both men entered his cell. 

"Gentleman! What do I owe this wonderful pleasure? Forgive the mess. I didn't have time to redecorate," he purred, winking at Alec. 

Alec shifted on his feet. "Get up. You're coming with us. We have a few questions we'd like to ask you. You have a right to a lawyer if you wish to call one-"

"Yes, yes. I know my rights. What good American doesn't? Take me away, Pretty Boy." Magnus stuck out his wrists for Alec to handcuff. When Jace went to cuff him, he moved his arms away. "Oh no. I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to....." He pointed to Alec. "You."

Jace gave Alec an odd look, but moved back regardless. Alec's heart skipped a few beats, though he'd never admit it out loud, and he was more than aware of Jace staring at him with a weird expression on his face. He just concentrated on keeping a serious expression as he cuffed Magnus' wrists together. 

The interrogation room was the first room Alec ever saw his father in action. A man had beaten his wife to death under the influence of cocaine and still had a stash hidden somewhere in his home. Alec remembered the way his father yelled at the man, fist pounding the table and his voice louder than he ever heard it before. He knew his father could be scary, but never that scary. After the interrogation, he asked his father if he'd ever yell at him or Izzy that way. Robert hugged him tightly and said he'd never use that voice on them. 

"So, Magnus. Word on the street is that you're a con man. Is that true?" Jace flipped a chair around and sat down. 

"Really? That's what you're starting with? You're not even going to offer me a glass of water or coffee? It's a federal crime to dehydrate your prisoners. Or deny them basic human needs." Magnus darted his gaze back and forth between Alec and Jace. "Well? Do I have to spell it out for you? Or do you both need sign language?"

Jace glanced at Alec, who shrugged. "Alright, sassy. We'll get you some water once you answer our first question. Why were you at Pandemonium before the robbery occurred?"

Magnus leaned back in his chair. "I had a business proposal, if you must know. I've had my eye on the place for a while now, so today I decided to buy the place out."

"By conning the poor owner out of his job?" Alec asked. 

Magnus looked at him and smirked. "No. I simply offered the right amount of money. The more zeroes on the check, the more willing people are to give you what they want. Sad but true. We live in a society run by money. Money and power. There's no place for the poor. At least not here, anyway."

"But to be at the same place at the same time as the robbery? That's a really odd coincidence....." Alec took a seat on the corner of the table beside Jace. "Don't you think?"

"Are you insinuating that I had something to do with this? I robbed my own place?"

"Are you admitting it?" Jace asked. 

Magnus snorted. "Blondie. Can I call you Blondie? Listen. When a person's voice goes up at the end of their sentence, that usually means they're asking a question. Cool new fact for you for today."

Jace scoffed. "You seem to be full of fun facts, Magnus Bane."

"You should see me during Black History Month. The facts just keep on coming."

Alec watched as Jace got to his feet and rubbed his forehead. "You okay?"

Jace nodded. "Yeah. Got a headache, that's all. I'm gonna go get some water and a painkiller. Keep an eye on him, would you?"

Magnus smiled as Jace left the room. When the door finally closed, he groaned. "Oh. What a bore he is. Is he always like this?"

Alec wasn't sure whether or not he should be talking, so he just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. 

"Ah. I see. You're the good cop. He's the bad cop. I bet you like following rules, don't you? Daddy's little goody two shoes?" He waited for Alec to respond, but got nothing. "Nothing? No? Okay then. Maybe this will get you to open your pretty mouth. Have you and Blondie banged?"

"What?! No!" Alec exclaimed. "He's my brother!"

Magnus shrugged. "That doesn't stop some people...."

Alec scowled. "You're sick. Shut up and wait for my partner to come back with your fucking water."

After a painful minute of waiting, Magnus began to whistle a tune and play with the handcuffs around his wrists. Alec watched him carefully. Magnus' tan hands were covered in small white scars. There were black lines under his eyes as if he didn't get any sleep in a while. His hair was a mess and clothes disheveled. He looked exhausted. 

"Are you tired?" Alec blurted. 

Magnus looked up at him. "Is this one of the usual interrogation questions? Or are you just genuinely curious?"

Alec scratched his chin nervously. "Just curious. You look like shit."

Magnus seemed to find this amusing. "I'll take that as a compliment. And to answer your question, yes. I'm very tired. I haven't been able to go home in a few days now and I'm pretty sure my cat is pissed off at me."

"Your cat won't let you come home?"

"That's not what I said."

"But that's what it sounded like. Like your cat won't let you come home or something."

Magnus laughed. "No. It's not that. It's much more complicated than that."

Alec was about to ask why when the door opened again and Jace stuck his head in. "Alec? Can I talk to you outside for a sec?"

"Sure. Don't go anywhere, Mr. Bane."

Magnus raised his hands, which were cuffed to the table. "Unless I'm some kind of magical being, I'm not getting out of these cuffs any time soon."

Out in the hall, Alec leaned against the wall and groaned. "He's a nightmare to be around."

"You're telling me. I had to dry swallow two pills because my head is ready to fucking explode. God....." Jace rubbed his forehead in pain. "Anyway, dad just caught me in the office just then. Said we're to release Magnus immediately."

Alec's jaw dropped. "What? Why?"

"Said we're cutting him a deal. No charges pressed against him if he works with us on a case. Or best case scenario is a shortened sentence."

Alec groaned. "Oh no. No. That's not happening. We're a package deal. The Dynamic Duo. Batman and Robin-"

"Just to be clear, I'm Batman right?"

"Jace."

"Sorry. But yeah. That's what he told me. No charges are to be pressed against him if he works with us. Apparently he has some important information on him that's useful to a case that's open right now."

Alec looked through the glass window in at Magnus. "Which case is that?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Jace."

Jace sighed heavily. "Fine. The Morgenstern Case."

Alec bent his knees and sank to the floor, rubbing his face with both hands. "Fuck. Fuckity, fuck, fuck."

"And we're the ones assigned to it so fuckity fuck fuck times a million," Jace grumbled. 

"What do you mean we're the ones assigned to it? What happened to Blackthorn and Carstairs? They were the ones originally given the case."

"Apparently they needed a fresh pair of eyes. Carstairs and Blackthorn were on the case for 18 years, bro. They're not exactly getting any younger."

Alec rubbed his neck. "Right. Yeah. True. But letting this.....him help us is a bad idea."

Jace grinned. "Yes. It must be so hard working with someone who's probably going to call you Pretty Boy all the time, huh?" He winced as Alec punched him on the arm. "Ow. That was uncalled for."

Alec ignored him. "Are we supposed to break the news to him ourselves?"

"Might as well. Seeing how he'll be working with us."

Alec sighed. "Okay then. Let's go give him the news."

Magnus sat up in his chair as both Jace and Alec returned to the room. "Boys. I was starting to think you got lost out there. Or forgot about me."

"Trust me. We're trying to forget about you," Jace mumbled. "Our boss just gave us some good news for you. Not good news for us, which I wish it was. We're not to press charges against you or shorten your sentence if you work on a case with us."

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "By us you mean Dumb and Dumber?" He pointed to Alec and Jace. 

"I thought he was Pretty Boy and I was Blondie?" Jace asked. He seemed genuinely curious about this. 

"Can we focus on the task at hand here? Look, Magnus. Long story short, you get at least 20 years in jail if you don't cooperate with us. Cooperate, and you might get a shorter sentence," Alec said. 

Magnus sighed. "Shit. Why not. I always wanted to play Detective. Sounds like fun."

Jace nodded. "I guess it's settled then. We're all working together on a case."

Alec nodded as well. "Sounds like it."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "If we're going to do some sort of handshake like the Three Musketeers, please count me out. I didn't just agree to some Boy Scouts pact." He pulled on his cuffs and sighed. "And where the hell is my water?"


	3. Chapter Three

Magnus was already chatting it up with everyone at the precinct once Alec and Jace let him go. He was quite the storyteller, judging from how interested the other officers seemed so enthralled with his words. They never took their eyes off him once. 

Neither could Alec. 

"Alright, so his apartment is on 47th street so I guess we just bring him home? Trust him enough to come into work tomorrow?" Jace flipped through Magnus' file. "I wouldn't trust that with a ten foot pole."

Alec shook his head. "He can't go home."

Jace looked up through his glasses. "What?"

"He can't go home. He told me this earlier. Said something about his cat being pissed off at him. But then he said it was more complicated than that."

Jace shrugged; an "okay whatever" gesture. "Just remember that he's our responsibility. He runs, we hunt him back down and his ass goes to jail for real. No deals. No nothing."

"I know," Alec nodded. He continued to watch Magnus from his desk. There was something oddly fascinating about the way Magnus spoke with his hands. They were very expressive as he waved them around for more emphasis to his story. Alec couldn't look away. 

"Hey. Earth to Alec," Jace snapped his fingers in front of his brother's face. 

Alec snapped out of his daydream. "Yeah. I agree. That's a good idea."

Jace grinned. "I didn't even say anything. You've been staring at Magnus for the past ten minutes."

That's how much time had passed? "Oh. Sorry. Just keeping a close eye on him, I guess."

Jace smirked. "He's in a building crawling with cops. Even if he tried to run, he isn't getting very far. Plus I think he's smart enough not to try." He glanced over his shoulder then back to Alec. "Wait....you don't think he's hot, do you?"

Alec squeezed his fingers nervously, a habit he's had since he was a child. "What? No. That's ridiculous. He's a guy. I like girls." He quickly flicked his gaze to a female officer walking by. "Damn. That.....booty."

Jace completely lost it. He keeled over and laughed so hard that his glasses fell off his face and onto the floor. "Oh my god! Oh fuck, that was the greatest thing ever. Alec....bro. I know you like dudes."

Alec swallowed past the lump forming in his throat. "What?"

"You like guys. So what? I was never one to judge anyone for their sexuality. Love is love. Hell, even I think he's good looking. There's no denying it."

Alec scowled. "Don't patronize me, Jace. You're just saying that to make me feel better." He leaned back in his chair. "How long have you known?"

Jace picked his glasses up off the floor. "How long have I known? You tried to kiss me when we were kids, Alec-"

"Yeah but we were kids. We were stupid."

"So? Some kids know from a young age who they're most attracted to. Maybe you knew?"

Alec groaned. "Look, can we drop the conversation before someone hears us? This isn't exactly a welcoming precinct. There's practically a zero tolerance for homosexuality."

Jace raised his hands in surrender. "Okay. But if you ever need to talk or anything, I'm here for you. Or if you need a snuggle buddy-"

Alec threw a pencil at him. "Shut up."

Jace began to laugh just when Magnus came over to their desks, a huge smile on his face. "What's all the excitement over here? We're throwing pencils at each other."

"Nothing. Jace is being a dick," Alec mumbled. 

"Again," Jace smirked. "Speaking of dicks-" He yelled when Alec's stapler made contact with his forehead. "Jesus fuck, Alec! Knock it off!"

Magnus' eyes were wide with surprise. "Are you both like this all the time? Because I thought I was working with real cops. Not two children pretending to be cops."

For a moment, Alec thought he saw Magnus looking him up and down. It was probably just a trick of the mind. "We're brothers. We fight all the time."

"Brothers? You look nothing alike," Magnus looked Jace over. "Let me guess. Mom got blonde hair?"

Jace shrugged. "Wouldn't know. She died when I was a baby. Father died when I was ten. The Lightwoods adopted me. They're more family to me than my real father ever was."

Magnus nodded. "Nice. Family doesn't end with blood, as the saying goes." He took a seat next to Alec and flipped through a case file. "So this is the Morgenstern case?"

Alec noticed how unreasonably close Magnus was sitting next to him. He could feel the heat coming off his body and smell the musky scent of cologne off his clothes. He took a shaky breath to steady himself. "Yeah. All 18 years worth of information that didn't get anybody anywhere."

Magnus poured over the files like a student studying for a test. "Interesting. So he's a drug lord? Crime lord? Mob leader?"

"Try all the above," Jace said. "According to the files back in the 90's, he started off as an entrepreneur. His empire grew by selling drugs and weapons and made deals on the Black Market."

"Sounds like we have a real winner here. Guess selling vacuum cleaners is too mainstream...." Magnus flipped the page. "Who was in charge of the case before you morons?"

Alec cleared his throat. "Officers Carstairs and Blackthorn. They're retired now."

"Huh. Too bad. I wanted to congratulate them on a terrible job on compiling evidence."

"Uh, why?" Jace asked. "They were pretty thorough with their reports. Everything was reported and documented as they were brought in."

Magnus pointed to a photo of a button. "Really? Because this button belongs to one of my favorite jackets that I bought five years ago."

Alec leaned in to get a better look. "There's an M on it."

"Precisely. That M doesn't stand for Morgenstern, as the case file assumes."

Jace closed his eyes and sighed. "It's M for Magnus, isn't it?"

Magnus nodded. "Exactly. And I'd like that button back. I've been dying to wear that jacket for ages."

**********

With complete disregard to the rules of the precinct, Alec let Magnus use the public washroom. 

"I'm not going to stab anyone, in case that's what you're worried about," Magnus whispered as the entered the bathroom. 

"Trust me. That's the least of my worries right now," Alec whispered back. "Now hurry up and do what have to do. We have a case to crack."

Magnus smirked. "Aye aye, Captain."

Alec looked away as he heard the distinct sound of a zipper being pulled down. "So how long have you been a con man?" 

Magnus chuckled. "How long have you known you were gay?"

"Wh-" Alec sputtered. "I'm not!"

"Oh, handsome. My gaydar goes nuts when I'm around you. Plus I've seen the way you look at the other male officers. You've got good taste. Like Elias at the front desk? Very good looking young man."

"Screw you," Alec grumbled. 

"Oh, I wish! Believe me, I wish you would but I have this policy where I don't make a move unless the other person does so first. It's proper etiquette if you ask me," Magnus peered over his shoulder at Alec. "Sorry. I don't mean to pry or anything."

"Oh, I think you do."

"I actually don't. I respect people's privacy and boundaries. I'm a con man. Not an asshole," Magnus zipped his pants and flushed the toilet. "Think what you want of me, but don't make false accusations unless you have your facts straight. Any questions you have, ask away. I'm an open book. Are we clear on that?"

Alec stared into Magnus' eyes for a moment. He wasn't that much taller than Magnus, just by a few inches or so. "Crystal. Are you done now? Jace is waiting for us in the meeting room. He probably thinks-"

Magnus raised a finger. "It doesn't matter what he thinks. Or what anyone thinks. If it makes you feel any better, you can cuff me. Make it look professional."

Alec glanced down at the finger that hovered near his lips. "No. No, it's fine. You're not a threat. I get that. Let's just go."

He led Magnus out, a hand on his shoulder, guiding him towards the meeting room where officers gathered to compile evidence. Jace was already seated and flipping through papers, cup of coffee in hand. He looked up when Alec and Magnus entered the room. 

"Excellent. You're here. Close the door behind you. We don't need any busybodies poking their nose where it doesn't belong," he set his mug down and handed them a folder. "I ordered takeout. Should be here in a bit. Hope you like Taki's."

"Who in their right mind wouldn't like Taki's?" Magnus put his feet up on the table. "So where do we even start? There's a million folders in here."

Alec furrowed a brow. "Obviously, we start with the earliest incident, which is from 1998. Fraud."

Magnus grinned. "My favorite."

Alec ignored this. "March 23, 1998, Valentine Morgenstern, novice entrepreneur at the time, was convicted of fraud and swindling business owners of their goods."

"Damn. He's good. If he made an empire of it then he has to have some insane persuasiveness skills. I envy him," Magnus looked up from his file and saw Alec and Jace giving him a look. "But he's a terrible man. Absolutely terrible. Those poor business men....."

Jace scowled. "Anyway. Once his empire grew, he eventually saw a profit in drugs. Then weapons."

"What kind?" Magnus asked. 

Jace glanced up from his papers. "Drugs or weapons?" 

Magnus shrugged. "Both, I guess. I'm just curious."

Jace, once again, scowled. "Drugs include cocaine, marijuana, meth-oh that's a good one. Boy here are always bringing in meth. As for guns....." Jace squinted at the papers in front of him. 

"Where's your glasses, Jace?" Alec asked. 

"No clue. Lost them again. I'm out of contact lenses too...." Jace continued to squint. "Uh.....weapons include assault rifles, handguns, a bazooka-"

"Where the fuck did he get a bazooka?" Magnus grabbed the file right out of Jace's hands. "Wow. That's impressive. I'm impressed."

"We can tell. Now can I have my files back? You start with the years 2005-2010. Alec will work with anything past that. Are we clear?" Jace handed Alec the files. "Alec? We good?"

Alec nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Magnus clapped his hands together. "Alright! I love teamwork! Let's get some teamwork happening!"

Ten minutes into their so called teamwork, someone came in with Jace's takeout order. When the delivery boy was paid, the three men dove into their food like a pack of hungry wolves. 

"God. It's been ages since I've had Taki's. I usually cook my own meals," Magnus said as he shoved a mouthful of ramen into his mouth. 

"Oh, you poor soul. That sounds tragic. A home cooked meal.....god forbid you have a home cooked meal," Jace rolled his eyes. "Anyway. I'm clearing out when I'm done eating. My shift is over in ten minutes anyway."

Alec glanced at his watch. 7:19. "My shift is nearly over too. You busy tonight?"

"Nope," Jace wiped his mouth. "Why?"

Alec shrugged. "I thought we could watch the Mets game together. Like old times."

Jace nodded. "Sure. I'll bring the beer."

Magnus snorted. "Baseball? You've got a day off tomorrow and you're spending the night watching baseball?"

"How did you know we have tomorrow off?" Alec asked. 

Magnus smiled as he looked Alec in the eye. "I might've taken a quick peek at your schedules. They were on your desk. Anyone could've passed by and took a look."

Jace threw his hands up in the air. "Great. What's next, you want to join us at Alec's apartment tonight for the game?"

"Jace! I thought you'd never ask! Thank you! Seeing how I can't go home and all.....I'd love to join you guys and watch the game. Go Mets!"

Jace sputtered, struggling to find the right words to say. "I wasn't offering! That wasn't an offer!"

"Ah, but I tricked you into saying it. One of my many skills, Wayland. Be careful how you word things," Magnus winked. 

"He just winked at me," Jace said. 

Alec nodded. "I noticed."

"I kinda liked it," Jace whispered. 

Alec was about to say something when someone knocked on the meeting room door. "It's open!"

A head of dark hair poked inside. It was Simon, one of the boys downstairs so worked in archives. "Hey. Hey guys. Hi. Boss wanted to know if you were finishing up soon? He needs the room."

Alec nodded. "We were just finishing up. We'll have the space cleared in ten."

Simon smiled a thousand watt smile. "I kinda want your advice too. It's my six month anniversary with Raphael today and I don't know what to get him as a gift."

Alec glanced over his shoulder to see Simon looking at him carefully. "You're asking me? Why?"

"I-I just assumed you'd know more about getting gifts for guys. You know.....because you're......" He leaned in closer. "You're gay," he said in a low voice. 

Alec was stunned. "How did you-who told you-where did you hear-" 

"Whoa, dude. Relax. It's one of those things where you just know, you know?" Simon smiled. 

"Gaydar," Magnus pointed out. 

Simon snapped his fingers, pointing at Magnus. "Yes! That's exactly what it is!"

Alec rolled his eyes. "I don't know. Get him cologne. Flowers. But him a nice watch? I've never been in a relationship before so I have no clue."

He half expected Magnus to make a joke about his inexperience, but the con man was silent. Looking over at him, he saw that Magnus had a sad expression on his face. Pity? He wasn't sure. He quickly looked away before Simon or Jace noticed him staring at Magnus. 

"I'll take him out to dinner tonight. No point in trying to cook him dinner. Last time I tried, the stove caught fire and he kept screaming 'aye dios mio!' over and over. It was a disaster," he laughed. "Thanks Alec. Your secret is safe with me, by the way."

Alec forced a smile. "Thanks. Good luck with tonight."

Simon thanked him and closed the door behind him as he left, leaving Jace, Alec and Magnus to their cleaning. 

"He seems like a nice kid," Magnus said. "If you like the stuttery, virgin, Star Wars kind."

Jace snorted. "Let me guess. You got a virgin radar too?"

Magnus, as quick as he was, responded with "Duh. It's called Virgin Mobile."

Alec barked out a laugh, surprising himself and the other two men. "Sorry. I thought that was pretty funny." He caught Magnus smiling at him and couldn't help but look away. 

"Well, I'm signing out for the night. I'll see you two suckers in a bit. Gonna go home and shower, kiss my girlfriend, buy some beer and I'll be over. 8 sound good?"

"Perfect. I'll be there," Alec fist bumped his brother as he left. Turning to Magnus, he tossed the rest of his files into their respective boxes. "As for you....are you sure you can't go home?"

"You want me gone that bad, do you?" Magnus chuckled. 

"That's not what I meant-"

"I know what you meant. And I'm pretty sure I can't go home. There's no point anymore....."

Noticing how quiet Magnus got, Alec took a step closer. "You okay? You went quiet there for a second. Wanna talk about it?"

Magnus scoffed. "Nothing to talk about. There's no point in going home anymore."

Alec crossed his arms over his chest. "That must be one hell of an asshole cat you got."

Magnus looked up at Alec from under his dark lashes, a smile creeping up onto his lips. "I love him. Don't get me wrong. But he's not the reason I can't go home."

"Then tell me the reason. Be honest with me. Don't lie."

Magnus sighed. "I'd never lie to you, Alec. Never."

Both men were quiet for a moment, Alec's hazel gaze staring into Magnus' chocolate one. There was something happening between them; a rope that was tethered between them and seemed to be pulling them in closer and closer with each breath they took. The room seemed to close in on them; the walls becoming smaller and smaller and caving in around them. 

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," Magnus suddenly whispered. 

Alec was dumbfounded. "What?!"

Magnus blinked. "My home, dumbass. I'll show you my home if you promise to show me yours afterwards."

Alec cleared his throat, and at the same time, cleared his mind. "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Deal."

Magnus smirked. "What did you think I meant, Alexander?"

"N-nothing. Let's just go, okay? My dad needs the room for his next meeting."

Magnus chuckled wryly. "Uh huh. One of these days, you're not going to have an excuse and you'll have no other choice but to tell me what's on your mind."

Alec said nothing as he picked up the last of the boxes into his arms and carried them out to his car, Magnus following close behind.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a whole lot happening here, but I promise there will be some more action in the next couple of chapters. Enjoy!

Driving alone in a car with Magnus Bane was a nightmare. Turns out, as Alec discovered the hard way, Magnus liked to fidget. He tapped the same button five times. He rolled the window up and down. He changed the station over ten times. 

"Can you not pick at everything in sight? You're like a damn kid on a road trip. Sit still like a normal person," Alec spat as Magnus rolled down the window for the millionth time. 

"Geez. Sorry. What's wrong with you, Grumpt Cat?" Magnus rolled up the window. "Are you mad because Jace dumped all the responsibility of looking after me on you?"

Alec took a quick glance at him. "What? No. Of course not. I'm mad because you won't sit the fuck still. It's making me anxious just looking at you squirm around like that."

Magnus frowned. "Sorry. Didn't realize it was bothering you that much."

They went quiet as the light turned red. From his peripheral vision, Alec could see Magnus bopping his head to an unknown song. His fingers drummed on his knee as he went to the beat of the music inside his head. 

"I've never been to a Broadway show before," Magnus said. 

Alec looked at him. "Huh?"

"Broadway? The famous stage where musicals and plays are held? There's a sign for a musical right there," Magnus pointed to a giant ad that flashed across a screen. "I've always liked Annie. My mom used to sing her songs when I was a kid. Never did see the play though. Couldn't afford it."

"Sorry to hear that. You can always rent the movie."

Magnus snorted. "Movie? Oh, Alexander. The movie is nothing compared to the real thing. Not that I would know. I was told it's an incredible experience. Hopefully I get to see a Broadway musical one day." He pat Alec on the arm. "That's my building there."

Alec peered up at the skyscraper. "For real? This is where you live?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with it?"

"N-nothing. I'm just surprised. It's smack dab right in the middle of the city. Why would anyone want to live here? It's madness."

Alec pulled into the back of the building where the parking lot was. It was an underground lot, which could only mean that there were a lot of people in the building. Finding a free space was a pain, but he managed to find one eventually. 

"I like the madness. Reminds me I'm still alive," Magnus said after ten minutes of silence. "The noise is soothing. If I tried to sleep with complete silence, I think I'd go insane."

"I can't sleep with noise. It bothers me. Even having the tv on with the lowest volume annoys the hell out of me." Alec looked up to see Magnus smirking at him. "Why are you smiling at me like that for? It's creepy."

Magnus shrugged. "I just think you're cute. The little imagery of you waking up in the morning with bed head made me smile. Like what you have now."

Alec's hand automatically went to his hair. "This is my natural hair. Not bed head."

".......oh. Then it looks lovely. Let's go to my apartment, shall we? The quicker we do this, the better."

"What's the rush?" Alec asked as he climbed out of his car. The door alarm chirped as he pressed the lock button on his keys. 

"No rush. I'm just so eager to work on the Morgenstern case with you," Magnus cleared his throat. "I just want to pick up a few things. If they're still there...."

Alec caught his mumbling. "What's that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't your stuff not be there?"

Magnus said nothing. The elevator ride to the 37th floor felt like it took forever, but when the familiar ding meant they were on their floor, Magnus was only too eager to get out and into the hallway. 

"So how many people live in this building exactly?" Alec asked. A woman wearing a maid's outfit walked by. She smiled at up him. He smiled back. 

"I'm not really sure. A lot. That's all I can tell you, really. I don't care much for getting to know my neighbors. Never did. This one's mine. Number 112," Magnus knocked on the door, which was unlocked much to Alec's surprise. 

"Why is it unlocked?" Instinct took over and Alec reached for his gun at his waist. He stopped Magnus from opening the door, taking the lead like he was taught in police school. Leaning up against the wall beside the door, he pushed it open with a hand and then raised his gun. "NYPD! Is anyone in here?"

He signalled for Magnus to stay out in the hall before making a quick sweep of the apartment. Once he was done, he let Magnus inside. 

"Apartment's all clear. No one's here," he whispered. 

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Of course there's no one here, dummy. I live alone. Unless you count Chairman Meow."

"Chairman Meow? Is that your cat?" Alec froze when he stepped in a piece of broken glass. Looking down at the floor, he noticed a broken picture frame under his boots. 

Along with everything else in the apartment. 

"Home sweet home. Welcome to casa de Magnus. Me casa et su casa. It's not exactly at its prime but trust me. It's not always this messy."

Alec put his gun back in his holster. "Christ, Magnus. Were you robbed?" He looked around the room. There were no bedrooms, aside from a large door off to the far end which led to the bathroom, and Magnus' bed was (or should've been) leaning up against the far wall on the left, overlooking the city. His kitchen was also a mess but looked to be quite spacious. The large flat screen that looked like it used to be on the wall was now on the floor, screen cracked in half. 

"I guess you could say that. Yeah, I was definitely robbed. But nothing was taken. Nothing important, anyway.."

Alec picked up a lamp off the floor. "So someone came in here, wrecked the place for a good time, then left again? Why not take something? Like the tv? That expensive microwave over there?"

Magnus was quiet for a moment. "They were looking for something."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"Something they obviously couldn't find, so they trashed the place. I pay sixteen hundred a month for this space. Now it's completely wrecked....."

Magnus slumped down onto his mattress, which was in a heap on the floor near the window. Frowning, Alec grabbed a toppled over stool and sat down on top of it. "Who do you think could've done this? Do you have any enemies?"

Magnus barked a laugh at this. "Where do I start? When you con people for a living, the list of enemies you make is never ending. Everyone wants revenge on the man who conned them of their money and were too stupid to fall for his words."

Alec shrugged, considering this to be true. "But who's at the top of the list? I can search the criminal database back at the precinct to see if there's a match. We could scope him out. Question him."

"Not him. Her."

"Huh?"

Magnus sighed. "It wasn't a him who trashed my home. It was a her. I know who did it. I just don't want her getting into more trouble than she's already in."

Alec edged his seat closer, resting his elbows on his knees. "Magnus. You have to tell me who robbed your apartment. This is my job-"

"And I understand that it's your job. But it's also my job to keep my mouth shut when it comes to her. You don't know what she's capable of. She's scary as hell."

"I'm not afraid."

Magnus looked up at Alec, his brown eyes soft and caring. "I know, Alec. I know."

A soft meow broke out from under the bedsheets. Surprised, Alec went over to the bundle of blankets on the floor and lift them. A small tabby lay curled underneath them, purring as it locked it's paws.

"Let me guess. Chairman Meow?" Alec asked. With the tabby now in his arms, he scratched under the cat's chin with a finger. Chairman purred even louder and closed his eyes. 

"Chairman! There you are! I thought for sure she took you with her!" Magnus clapped his hands like an excited child on Christmas morning. "Thank god he's okay. If I'd lost Chairman....."

Alec nodded. "I get it. I had a dog once when I was a kid. It got hit by a car."

"That's terrible."

"Yeah. Never had another pet since. My little brother Max is trying to convince our parents to get a dog but I told him no. He's not going to suffer the same way I did."

Chairman looked up at Alec and rubbed his tiny head against his chin. 

Alec smiled. "I think he likes me."

"He likes your stubble. Anything rough, Chairman will rub up against it...." Wish I could feel your stubble Magnus thought. "Just let me grab a few things before we head on again."

Alec took a look around the messy room. "What about the mess? Shouldn't we clean that up first?"

Magnus waved a dismissive hand. "Leave it. I'll call my cleaning lady later. She knows the place better than I do. I'm hardly ever home anyway."

Once Magnus picked up a few things (toothbrush, clothes, the essentials) they were on the road again. This time, much to Alec's surprise, Magnus didn't fidget. He sat as still as a statue and watched the cars and people pass by the passenger window. Chairman sat in the backseat, curled up into a ball sound asleep. 

"Your cat is pretty good with car rides," Alec said. 

"Yeah, that's his talent. The ability to go on car rides and not puke," Magnus chuckled. "Speaking of talents, what are you good at?"

Alec looked at him a moment before returning his concentration to the road. "Um.....I don't really have one. I'm a good cop-"

"That's not a talent. Talents are like art, music, dancing. Those kinds of things."

Alec was stumped. He never really went and tried to find his talent when he was a kid. He was much too busy trying to please his parents and make them proud of him. He didn't want to do anything else except please them. 

"It's okay if you don't know. Lots of people don't find their talent until later in life. It's perfectly normal." Magnus reached out to pat Alec's leg, but thought better of it. "I'm good at tarot card readings."

Alec snorted. "Tarot card readings? Is that the thing where you flip cards and guess the future? That's all bullshit."

Magnus looked offended. "Yeah? Well you're.....bullshit. I'm really good at it. I have my cards here if you want me to do a reading one day. I'll take a look into your full and boring future."

Alec rolled his eyes but said nothing as he pulled up into the parking lot of his building. "Here we are. Casa de Alec. Me casa most definitely isn't su casa so don't get too comfortable."

Magnus marvelled at the elevator that they stepped into. It was metal (like most elevators were, but the pulley system was a crank that you pushed down on and worked as the "UP" button. 

"Damn, this building must be ancient...." Magnus watched as the walls around him moved and the elevator began to move up.

"It's not that old. If it can withstand one of Jace's summer bashes, it can withstand anything," Alec said as the elevator came to a stop. He opened the small metal gates before opening the large metal door. Bending down, he lift it with the slightest of ease, the muscles in his forearms flexing under his skin as he did so. Magnus quickly looked away from the pushed up sleeves of Alec's jacket. 

The apartment was....cozy. Spacious, but cozy. It looked like Magnus' place, but more rustic. The kitchen looked large enough (Magnus couldn't wait to make Alec a home cooked meal) as did the living room. A flat screen was on the wall above an electric stove, which was turned on to keep the place warm. 

"Want something to drink?" Alec asked. "I got milk, orange juice, I think this is cranberry juice....and water."

Magnus smirked. Alec looked a little nervous as he stood by the open fridge awaiting an answer. "Is alcohol an option?"

Alec turned red. "I-I don't really...uh....d-drink...." He opened one of the cupboard door. "Jace left this bottle of vodka the last time he was here. I never touched it. You can have it if you want."

"Fantastic. May I have a glass?" Once he was handed a glass, Magnus popped open the bottle and poured the clear liquor into it. He took a sip. "Oh. Wow. How long has this been in your cupboard?"

Alec shrugged. "Beats me. A year? I don't really know. Jace leaves stuff here all the time. I don't keep track of how long I have it."

Magnus took another sip. "It's fine. I was just wondering. It's a tad strong." He reached into his bad and took out a deck of cards. "So how about that bullshit tarot card reading?"

Alec laughed. "I'd rather not. I'm in control of my own future, thanks." He yelped as Magnus grabbed his hand and began to feel the palm of it with his fingers. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Magnus said nothing. He was much too enthralled with Alec's hand to even register what the beautiful cop just said. Alec's hand was pale, much like the rest of his body, with long, slim fingers dusted with blonde hairs. They were larger than his own hands, Magnus knew that much. Flipping it over (though in palm reading, you don't read the top part of the hand) he traced the veins along the back of Alec's hand with a gentle finger, pleased to see goosebumps rise on Alec's arms. 

"This is getting weird," Alec croaked, his voice cracking. 

"Shh. Your future is clear to me. You....will fall in love with an unexpected person. You open up your heart to them and it's beautiful. I also see a bright career ahead of you. And......pain. Much pain."

Alec looked down at his hand as if he too could see what Magnus was seeing. "What kind of pain?"

Magnus shook his head. "It's hard to say. It could be anything. All I know is that you're going to suffer, but you won't suffer alone. Which is a good thing, I suppose. Nobody likes to suffer alone."

"No. I suppose they don't...." Alec looked up into Magnus' eyes. They were so close to each other that he could smell the alcohol off Magnus' breath. They were so close that he could almost kiss him-

"Clearly, I'm not drunk enough for my readings. If I down the bottle of this cupboard crap, I'll be able to move mountains with my mind!" Magnus laughed and pulled away from Alec, gulping down contents from the bottle. "You wouldn't mind if I stayed the night, do you? Until my place is cleaned up?"

Alec, disappointed that Magnus pulled away from their rather intimate moment, shook his head. "No. I don't mind. My couch is a futon. It should be comfy enough."

"What, we're not going to share a bed together?" Magnus teased. "Relax. I'm joking. We're not at that stage in our relationship yet. Besides. You look like you snore anyway."

"I do not-I don't snore!" Alec exclaimed. "You....snore!"

Magnus shook his head, taking another drink out of the bottle. "You really need to work on your comebacks, Alexander."


	5. Chapter Five

"So I take it Jace won't be showing his pretty face here tonight?"

At the sound of Magnus' slurring voice, Alec checked the clock on the wall. The baseball game was long over by now and Jace hadn't shown up like he said he would. "I guess not. Game is over now."

Magnus giggled drunkenly. "Can you believe that he didn't even message you to say he won't be showing up? What a-" He burped. "Prick."

Alec rolled his eyes. "That's the vodka talking now. Not you."

"You don't know shit! You and your mop hair and Bambi eyes-" Magnus held Alec's face between his hands and squeezed. "You're so....so beautiful. A modern day Adonis."

Alec moved out from between the hands that were holding his face. "Again. That's the alcohol talking. You won't remember any of this by morning."

Magnus said nothing. He was slumped on the couch, fast asleep. Much to Alec's delight, he snored softly. 

Tossing a blanket over Magnus, Alec flicked off the living room light, stripped down to just his boxers and crawled into bed. He took out his phone and text Jace once he was under the covers. 

|Alec: you awake?|

His phone dinged a minute later. 

|Jace: I wasn't until you text me. Why?|

Alec scrunched his face and typed in a reply. 

|Alec: why didn't you show up for the game tonight?|

Jace's reply was almost instant. 

|Jace: sorry. Got held up|

Alec sighed heavily through his nose, annoyed at Jace's excuse. 

|Alec: by held up you mean you got laid?|

|Jace: hey now. Don't get pissy at me. Clary was in the mood. What kind of boyfriend am I to deny my girl of her basic needs?|

|Alec: whatever. Just text me next time. Don't leave me hanging|

|Jace: you need to get laid, brother. Might help with that anger issue of yours|

Alec grunted and threw his phone with full force at the wall where it shattered into a million pieces. Magnus didn't even flinch from his drunken slumber. He snored even louder. 

Alec rest his head on his pillow, staring up at the ceiling and sighing through his nose. Typical Jace. Always thinking with the wrong head. Getting laid was his answer to everything in life. To him, getting laid was something everybody should do on a regular basis. Like exercise. 

Sighing one final time, Alec reached over to flick off his bedside light. He fell asleep to the sounds of Magnus and his drunken snores even though he couldn't sleep with noise. It was almost soothing knowing that someone was going to be there when he woke up in the morning. 

**********

There was nothing better in this world than waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Turning over onto his back, Alec took a deep breath through his nose and smiled. Isabelle must've came in when he was asleep and made some. It wouldn't be the first time she did this. 

He got up from bed with a groan, rubbing his face with his hands before messing up his hair, which was now even more messy than before. There was already a mug down on the countertop for him when he walked into the kitchen, which was something Isabelle had never done before. He shrugged, brushing it off. 

There was also a note on the counter. Picking it up, Alec read it out loud. 

"Alec. Fresh coffee in the pot for you. Gone to get donuts from that adorable little cafe across the street. Be back in 20. MB."

Alec scratched his chin. MB? Who the fuck was MB?

Magnus Bane. 

"Shit!" Alec raced to the window and looked out, frantically searching the streets for any sign of Magnus. There was no sign of him from what Alec could see. Magnus wasn't exactly hard to pick out in a crowd. 

He dialled Jace's number on his spare phone he kept for emergencies only. It rang six times before Jace picked up. 

"Fuck off, Alec. It's seven in the morning on my day off," Jace rasped. He must've been asleep when his phone rang. 

"Jace. I've lost Magnus. I woke up and he was gone," Alec gripped his hair. "I need you to come over and help me find him."

Jace yawned. "You don't need me, dude You're okay on your own."

"Jace, he's our responsibility! We're not supposed to let him out of our sight!"

"That's not my fucking fault! He didn't stay at my place! For whatever reason! Look just.....I don't know. Follow the freaking trail of glitter or something. I'm going back to sleep."

Alec swore under his breath. "Jace-"

"Bye, Alec!" Then the line went dead. Fucking Jace. He was a real piece of shit sometimes. 

The elevator to his loft opened up. Magnus stepped in humming a tune and carefully balancing a tray of ice coffees and a box of donuts. When he turned around and saw Alec standing by the window in his boxers, the donut that was in his mouth fell to the floor. His eyes were the size of sausages. 

"Magnus," Alec croaked. 

"Well then.....okay. I'm back," he breathed. 

Alec glanced down at his boxers. "I'm not....I'm not d-dressed."

Magnus blew a raspberry. "You don't have to get dressed up for me. We're all men here, aren't we? Anyway, I got donuts for breakfast. Ice coffee for my damn hangover. Oh god, I feel like crap this morning....." Magnus sat at the island and sipped his drink. "How bad was I last night?"

Embarrassed of his near nakedness, Alec slipped a shirt on over his head. "You want the good news or the bad news?"

"Good news first. Always good news first."

"Well......we didn't make out. That's good news."

Magnus scowled. "Yeah for you. What else?"

Alec poured up a cup of coffee and stole a sprinkled donut from the box. "You gave me a palm reading. Then you held my face between your hands."

Magnus laughed. "I can vaguely remember that. That must've been some good vodka. Jace knows how to pick them."

Alec sipped his coffee, nearly burning his lip. "You didn't hear the bad news."

"Trust me. We didn't make out. That's bad enough news for me."

Alec's lips twitched. "Bad news is that I broke my Nokia. My favorite one."

The false sympathy was heavy in Magnus' tone as he spoke. "Oh no. Not your Nokia."

Alec frowned. He was completely unaware of the sarcasm being thrown his way. "Yeah. It's old but still worked like a charm. I threw it against the wall last night-didn't you hear it?"

Magnus shook his head. 

"Of course you didn't. Anyway, I was texting Jace and his solution to all of life's fucking problems is to get laid. It's not that easy!" Alec took another sip of coffee to calm his nerves. 

"To be completely honest with you, you could have anyone you wanted. You're a good looking guy with a stable career. That's sexy," Magnus stirred his coffee with his straw.

Alec blushed. "I don't want just anyone."

Magnus shrugged "Well Jace isn't wrong. Sex is a relief for many things. Stress, for instance. I think a good orgasm can cure hiccups. I heard that once. Not sure if it's true though...." He took another donut. "Look. He's a textbook horny man. Drown all your life's problems in jizz. Plain and simple."

Alec gagged. "That's an image I didn't need. My brother.....doing things. Okay. Change of topic. You know you weren't supposed to leave my sight, right? Did I mention that to you already?"

"No, but then again you're not my mother," Magnus popped out a pill bottle from his bag. "Besides. I wasn't going to run, in case that's what you were so afraid of."

"I wasn't afraid of that. I just thought for a moment that....never mind. Are you okay? Those are some heavy duty meds you got there."

Magnus chuckled. "These puppies work wonders for a hangover. You should try it sometime."

Laughter bubbled up in Alec's throat. "What, get drunk like you? I'll pass. You look like crap."

"I look like crap? Me?!" Magnus wheezed with laughter. "Honestly, Alexander. At least when I'm sober, I don't wake up with a head of hair that looks like a bird made its nest in it. Or it got married to a mop overnight."

Alec was about to retort when the elevator slid open and Isabelle stepped in. "Morning, big bro! I'm here! Bright and early, like I said!"

Alec groaned and let his forehead hit the counter. "Izzy, now really isn't the time-"

"Hi. I'm Magnus Bane. You must be Alec's little sister. The family resemblance is striking. Beauty must run in the family," Magnus kissed Isabelle's hand and smiled. 

Isabelle giggled and blushed. "Yes. I am beautiful-I mean, I'm Isabelle. Alec's much more beautiful looking sibling. He's half decent."

Magnus laughed, his eyes twinkling. "I wouldn't even say half decent. He's practically below average."

They both giggled and snorted for five minutes while Alec sat at the island and drank his coffee. Once he had enough, he cleared his throat loud enough for them to hear. "Are you done dissing me? I'm literally sitting right here. I can hear you."

"That's the point! If we diss you enough, maybe you'll realize that I do this out of love. Pure love," Isabelle looped her arm through Alec's and bit his shoulder. "Come on, bro. Where's your sense of humor?"

"It's obviously as non-existent as the comb he uses to brush his hair," Magnus winked as Isabelle snapped her fingers and pointed at him for his jib. 

Alec raised his hands. "Okay! Enough! Let's just get this shopping trip over with! I have a case to work on. Plus I think my promotion ceremony is sometime soon. I'll have to ask dad about it."

Magnus perked up. "We're going shopping?"

"Did you not hear me say I got promoted? Most people would congratulate someone for something like that-" Alec was cut off when Magnus covered his mouth with a hand. 

"Shopping where, exactly?" Magnus asked Isabelle. 

"I was thinking A&F? They have amazing outfits that would look incredible on Alec. He needs something to wear other than the sweaters with the holes in them," Isabelle whispered. "They're hideous. Trust me."

Alec snorted. "I don't say anything about your fashion choices, Iz."

Isabelle glared at him. "You wouldn't dare. I have a pair of heels that could go through your eye socket and out the back of your head if I stabbed you with them."

Alec grimaced. "Point taken. Now if you don't mind, can I get dressed in peace? Get out of my apartment. Meet me down in the lot. We're taking my car."

Magnus smirked as he opened the elevator doors for Isabelle. "Holes in your sweaters, huh? Got anything else with holes in them?"

Alec flipped him the finger. 

**********

Alec hated shopping for clothes. There was never an in between for him. Either the clothes were too baggy or they were too short on him. He also hated being tall. He hated a lot of things, to be honest. Shopping was just an item on his long list of things he hated. 

"Try this shirt. Oh my god how cute is this one? Alec, look at those jeans! You'd look amazing in them!" Isabelle tossed him item after item as she browsed through the store. 

"Izzy....do I really need all this? It's a bit pricey here....." Alec caught one of the cashiers checking him out as she twirled a blonde strand of hair around her finger. "I'm very uncomfortable in here."

"Suck it up, brother. This is for your own good. No one is going to want to date a guy whose entire wardrobe is made up of holey shirts!" Isabelle threw a white shirt at his head. 

"Hmm, I don't know. Some people find the idea of worn clothes quite attractive....." Magnus mumbled. "Let him try on what he has for now. He's practically carrying his weight in clothes."

Oh thank god Alec rushed into the dressing room and tossed the contents of his arms onto the small bench. "What if I don't look good in something?" He called out to them. 

"I'll be the judge of that," Isabelle called back, prompting Alec to roll his eyes. 

The first outfit was a black button up shirt with a pair of black jeans to go with it. He even tossed on the leather jacket Magnus had picked out just for good measure. Looking over himself in the mirror (deciding he looked good enough), he stepped out to show off his new clothes. 

"So? What do you think?" Alec fixed the sleeves and twirled around. "I feel almost comfortable in this."

Isabelle squealed. "You look so handsome! Like a true detective! What do you think, Magnus?"

Magnus was staring at Alec in awe. "Uh....he looks good. I have to say, this outfit complements the bird's nest on top of his head. Very stunning, indeed."

Alec blushed, unsure of what to say. He stepped back into the dressing room to try on another outfit. Did Magnus just compliment him? He certainly wasn't expecting that, hair diss aside. He'll take what he can get. 

He only had his shirt off when he heard a gunshot ring out. Years of cop training took over and he grabbed his own gun with lightning fast reflexes, leaning up against the door to listen carefully. He prayed that Isabelle was okay. Magnus too. 

"Alright, listen up! Valentine Morgenstern would like to make a statement to the great people of New York. Your store is the lucky contestant of the day!" A man's voice shouted. A scream soon followed and the man laughed. "Mr. Morgenstern felt that you needed a reminder of who owns this beautiful city."

Alec's breath caught in his throat at the thought of Isabelle being grabbed and held at gunpoint. After a calming breath, he opened the dressing room door and stormed out. "NYPD! Put the gun down!"

The man at the front of the store jumped in surprise. "A cop? Just my luck! What better statement to make than to shoot a cop? Valentine would love that!"

Alec saw Isabelle peer out from a rack of clothes. She smiled at him. Thank god she was okay. "Look. Just put down the gun. There's no need for anyone to get-"

A shot echoed through the store, as did a ringing in his ears. Strange. His left hip was burning. Was he on fire? No, that doesn't make sense. He couldn't be on fire. This was a clothing store. What could set him on fire?

Alec peered down at his bare hip. Blood ran down the length of his pants leg and spurt between his fingers when he pressed a hand against it. He was shot. 

"Alec!" Isabelle screamed as she watched him fall to the floor. "Oh my god, Alec!" She crawled over to him. "Someone call 911! Please help my brother!"

Alec grunted in pain. "Iz-Izzy. I'm fine. Just a scratch."

"This isn't just a scratch, Alec. You're bleeding very badly-Magnus! Help me carry him to the car!"

Magnus suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "The shooter's gone. He made a break for it after he shot you." He frowned at Alec's wound. "You need a doctor, Alec. We need to bring you to the hospital."

Alec coughed. "No. No hospitals. Izzy knows what to do."

Magnus blinked. "Am I missing something here? What does he mean by that?"

Isabelle shook her head. "Alec doesn't like hospitals. Every minor injury he's ever had we've always treated at home. But this isn't exactly minor so....."

The trip back to Alec's apartment seemed like a blink of an eye. Alec was now laying in a blood soaked bed, grunting and gasping in pain as Isabelle began the process of cleaning the wound. 

"There's no exit wound....and I need something to clean it with. Does he have any alcohol?" Isabelle asked. 

Magnus swore. "I drank most of it last night. There's a mouthful left at the most."

Isabelle grabbed the bottle out of his hand. "It'll have to do. This is going to hurt, Alec...."

The liquid touched Alec's gunshot wound and he screamed in agony, fingers gripping the sheets underneath him so hard that his knuckles turned white. His back arched off the bed and he gasped as Isabelle tried to take the bullet out of him. 

"You need to stop moving, Alec. I can't see what I'm doing if you keep squirming like that," Isabelle hissed. 

Magnus took Alec's hand and gripped it tight. "Hang in there, Pretty Boy. If you're anything like your sister, I know you'll fight this. You're tough."

Alec grunted. "Ungh, Magnus? I....I need your strength."

"That sounded corny as shit. But okay," Magnus nodded. "Take what you need. Take it all, if you must." The grip on his hand tightened as Isabelle finally pulled the bullet out from under Alec's skin. "There you go. Nothing to it, huh?"

Alec chuckled but winced in pain as he did. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts to laugh."

"I'll try not to. I'm a naturally funny guy," Magnus smiled. "How's he doing, doc?"

Isabelle sighed. "I just need to patch him up and he should be good. But you need to call it in, Alec. Where's your phone? I'll text Jace. He needs to be here. What's the code for a shooting?"

Alec hissed in pain. "10-10. Tell him there's an officer down. Come to my place ASAP."

Isabelle's fingers were a blur as she typed. "He's on his way. Thank god for trustworthy partners, huh?" She kissed her brother's hand. "I'm going to go get Dr. Garroway. He can come in and take a look at you. I'm not sure if any internal organs were damaged when the bullet hit you."

"Okay. As long as I don't have to go to a hospital," Alec sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm so tired. Shopping is deadly." Alec whispered as his sister got into the elevator. 

"Speaking of shopping, we picked up whatever it is we had picked out for you. The store gave it to us for free after you saved them. Generous, huh?" Magnus pushed a strand of raven black hair off of Alec's forehead, catching himself when Alec stared at him with a look of surprise on his face. "Sorry. Shouldn't have done that."

"No, no. It's fine. It was comforting," Alec half smiled. "Magnus....you're not going to leave me, are you? I don't want to be alone right now."

Magnus scoffed. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Alec smiled weakly. "The freaky thing about all this is that it reminds me of what you said last night about me in pain....but I won't suffer alone," Alec's mouth dropped open in shock. "Holy shit. Are you a warlock?"

Magnus laughed. "No! I told you tarot cards and palm readings aren't bullshit. This just proved it."

Alec shivered. "Still. It's freaky how accurate you were. Think you get a reading about the case? About whether or not we're going to crack it?"

Magnus shushed him. "Don't worry about that right now. Get some sleep. You need it in order to heal, okay?"

Alec nodded. "Okay. Don't make any noise-"

"You can't sleep well when it's noisy. I know, Pretty Boy. I know."


	6. Chapter Six

Magnus was more than happy to lie next to Alec in bed. Of course he was. Who would be stupid enough not to? Alexander Gideon Lightwood (his middle name Magnus had discovered on Alec's driver's license) was, as Magnus had known from the moment he met him, a beautiful young man. Not just on the outside but on the inside too. 

Although he had no complaints with Alec's outside. Curiosity got the better of him once Alec fell asleep and he let his eyes roam over the fallen detective's gorgeous body. From the way Alec wore his baggy clothes, one would ever say he was muscular. His entire upper half was solid muscle and Magnus loved every inch of it. He had broad shoulders, a broad chest covered in chest hair that Magnus (shamelessly) wanted to lick. His six pack became more prominent whenever he breathed in, much to Magnus' delight, and it took every ounce of strength not to run a finger over them. His waist was narrowed as it disappeared into the low rise of his jeans, showcasing the arch above his hipbones. His happy trail screamed out to Magnus to touch it, but he refrained from doing so. 

Magnus smiled to himself. He was sitting next to a god. Life couldn't get any better than it was right now. It was impossible. Unless Alec suddenly woke up and began to make out with him. That's the only thing that could make life so much better.

Beside him, Alec moaned softly and opened his eyes. "Oh. Hi. What time is it?"

Magnus peered at the clock on the wall. "Just a little after two. You were dead to the world for five hours. Had to check a few times to make sure you were still breathing."

"Haha. Very funny. How long were you sitting there?"

"All five hours."

Alec's eyes flew open. "Magnus! You didn't have to stay beside me the whole time! That's just.....unnecessary."

Magnus shrugged. "Too late now. It's done and over with. Someone had to make sure you didn't bleed through your bandage while your sister went to fetch the doctor. Chairman wasn't going to do it. Were you, daddy's little man?"

Chairman, propped up against Alec's right thigh, purred loudly at the mention of his name.

"See? He's very happy he didn't have to clean up your nasty blood. Such a diva," Magnus chuckled. "So how are you feeling now? Is the pain still there?"

"Not as much as it was earlier. Fuck....earlier it felt like someone took a fire poker and stabbed me with it. It hurt like hell. But now...." Alec took a deep breath. "It's easing up a bit. Not so bad."

The elevator opened and Isabelle stepped out, a tall man following behind her. Magnus nearly purred himself when he saw who he assumed to be Dr. Garroway. Muscled and well built, Dr. Garroway looked like someone straight out of the cheesy soap operas on tv. He was a beautiful man, skin smooth and the color of Hershey dark chocolate, and gentle brown eyes that took in Alec's injury as he got closer. 

"Hey, kiddo. How you feeling?" Garroway's voice was rich and deep as he spoke. 

"I got shot, Luke. I'm about as good as a shot person is going to get," Alec winced as Luke peeled off his bandage. "Isabelle patched me up earlier. It's a wonder I didn't bleed to death."

Isabelle glared at him. "Is that an insult or a compliment? If it's an insult, I can always shoot you again with daddy's gun-"

"Kids. Please. Let's get serious for a moment. You can settle the dispute later....." Luke examined Alec's wound carefully with experts eyes and hands. "Well from the looks of it, the bullet didn't damage any major arteries or organs. But just to be safe, I want to get an MRI done. Just to be on the safe side."

"Will I have to go to the hospital for that?" Alec whispered so that only Luke could hear. 

"Nope. Thanks to modern technology, I have a portable MRI right here. Never leave without it," Luke smiled. (a/n: I'm not sure if this is actually a thing so just go with it)

The scan took ten minutes to complete. By the time Luke was looking st the results, Jace burst through the elevator, a sheen of sweat on his pale face. He let a breath when he saw Alec laying in the bed getting bandaged back up by Isabelle. 

"Oh Alec.....I'm so sorry...." Jace took his brother's hand and squeezed. "I was an asshole to you this morning and I'm so beyond sorry. I'm gonna make it up to you."

"Jace....." Alec shook his head. "It's fine. There's nothing you could've done. This? This isn't your fault. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Jace looked from Alec's eyes, down to his wound, then back up to his eyes again. "I know. You got shot. I feel like I need to one up you now."

"Oh sweet lord. Jace! He's been shot! No ones going to one up anyone!" Isabelle spat. "What we're going to do is let our brother rest and recover before he can go back out on the job again."

Alec moaned. "I can't rest now! Not at a time like this! This case could be the beginning of the rest of my career!"

Jace butt in. "Speaking of career, dad called me last night. Apparently I got the promotion too."

Alec beamed. "Seriously? That's awesome! We can drive in the same squad car together again!"

"As long as you let me eat in it," Jace winked. 

Luke sighed as he got to his feet. "Well, I guess my services are no longer required. Keep changing the dressing every so often so it doesn't get infected. Drink lots of fluid and get plenty of rest. Time is the best medicine here."

"Thanks, Luke. Please don't tell my dad about this? Please?" Alec begged. 

Luke zipped his lips. "Unless your condition worsen, I won't speak of this to anyone else. Although it might be a good idea to tell Clary why you left her alone in a restaurant and why you rushed off in a hurry," he looked at Jace, worry in his eyes. 

Alec looked at Jace. "You were with Clary?"

"Yeah," Jace nodded. "We were celebrating. She sold another painting last night. Not sure who the buyer was. Paid with big bucks too."

Magnus furrowed a brow. "How much was this painting?"

"Twenty thousand. Why?"

Magnus gasped. "So that explains the missing twenty grand from my account! Honestly Alexander, how drunk was I last night that you let me buy a painting?"

Alec scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not responsible for your bank account, Magnus. Some people drunk text. Others drunk call. You drunk buy."

Magnus paused for a moment, considering this. "True. Very true. I hope it's a nice painting. I can't hang trash up in my apartment. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Are you calling my girlfriend's art trash?" Jace growled. "Because I swear to god-"

"Before you pop a gasket, I'm going to stop you right there. No, I'm not calling your girlfriend's art trash. I haven't even seen her art before. So back off, Blondie," Magnus glared at Jace. "Now. Back to more important matters. The Morgenstern case."

"I heard you guys were working on that. How's it going?" Luke said. 

"We can't actually divulge information with a mundane," Magnus pointed out. "Classified police info. Highly restricted."

Luke scratched his beard. "Okay. That's understandable. I'll head out there now-Alec. Call me if you feel a change. Got it?"

Alec nodded. "Will do. Thanks again, Luke."

Luke smiled and headed into the loft elevator, pulling the gates shut and the door down. 

"Whew. That was close. I don't trust this Garroway. I think he works for Valentine...." Magnus whispered. 

"Bullshit. We've known Luke since we were kids. He would never work for someone as awful as Valentine." Jace shook his head. "To even assume something like that-Luke has helped us through a lot as kids. He's Clary's stepfather."

"I agree with Jace. Luke is like family. Besides, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He's kind and caring," Isabelle held Alec's hand and smiled. "Are you sure you're feeling okay? No pain or anything?"

Alec half smiled. "Only hurts when I breathe."

"Pain lets you know you're alive," Magnus whispered as he stared at Alec, who stared directly back. He was vaguely aware of Isabelle's gaze bluffing back and forth between them, a broad smirk on her face. 

Jace took out his phone. "That's the girlfriend. What should I tell her? New evidence? Called into work? Ghostbusters?"

Alec sighed. "The truth. Tell her I got shot. She deserves to know, Jace. She's family too." He smiled up at his brother. "She can come visit if she wants. I trust her with the information we already have on Valentine."

Jace nodded. "Will do. Calling her now....."

Magnus snorted. "How big is your family? It's like an endless stream of people here."

"Our immediate family is me, Alec, Jace, our little brother Max, our mom and our dad. Don't even get me started on extended family...." Isabelle sighed. "Clary, Simon, Luke, Joceyln-"

"Thank you, Izzy. We don't need to list off the entire family tree to Magnus. At least not right now," Alec interrupted. "Is Clary on her way?"

Jace slipped his phone back in his pocket. "She's getting a cab now. She should be here shortly. Knowing her, she'll stop to buy a card and flowers now that she knows you're hurt. Typical Clarissa."

Magnus clapped his hands. "I love flowers! Especially tulips. They smell heavenly when you leave them out in the 3 o'clock sunshine."

"Well they're not for you, so forget about your 3 o'clock sunshine," Jace snapped. "When she gets here, I don't want you mentioning that you're a con-"

"ALEC! ARE YOU OKAY?!" A shrill voice rang out from inside the closed elevator. When the gates and door opened, a fiery redhead raced past Magnus and went straight to Alec. "Oh my god. Jace told me what happened. How are you? Was it bad? Was Luke here? Do you need anything?"

"Clary," Alec chuckled but was cut off as a wave of pain went up his side. He winced. "I'm fine. No, it's not bad. Yes, Luke was here and no I don't need anything. Did I answer all your questions?"

Clary laughed as she wiped her tears. "Yeah you did. I'm so sorry about what happened. You're a hero, though. Nobody got hurt at that store-"

"Aside from himself...." Magnus grumbled. 

Clary finally turned her attention to him. "Who are you? I don't remember Jace mentioning there was someone else here."

Magnus stuck out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Magnus. Magnus Bane. I'm a con-" Jace cleared his throat as a warning. "I'm a consultant on a particular case they're working on. I'm somewhat of an expert, I guess you could say."

Clary had a sceptical look on her face. Jace knew she wasn't stupid. She could see through lies better than anyone he knew. "Magnus. Familiar name. Any relation to Nafjaw Bean?"

Magnus flushed a deep red. "I'm never drinking again. That's just straight up embarrassing. Even for me."

Alec and Jace glanced at either, mirroring each other's grin. 

"Anyway, I brought a card and flowers for you, Alec. Hope you like them," Clary handed him the card and placed the flowers on the counter. "I didn't have time to sign it or anything like that-"

"It's perfect, Clary. Thanks," Alec tapped the card on his lip. "You said you and Jace were celebrating something earlier? You sold a painting?"

Clary nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Nafjaw Bean over here purchased my newest piece. It was originally going to go in my gallery but he made an offer I couldn't refuse."

Magnus was still red in the face as he spoke. "To be fair, I was wasted. I liked how the colors stood out against the white wall."

"Well, you paid twenty grand for it. I wasn't going to turn you down. I'm just surprised anyone showed interest in my artwork for the book I'm working on."

"You're working on a book? You never told me this! We're supposed to be besties!" Isabelle whined. 

Jace chuckled. "Don't feel bad, Iz. She never told me either. What's it about?"

Clary sat at the foot of Alec's bed. "It's a work in progress, really. It came to me in a dream. A girl discovers she's half angel and a descendant from a long line of warriors that fight demons and stuff. She meets others of her kind and together they fight the evil.....bad....thing. And that's all I got."

Magnus clapped his hands. "Sounds intriguing. But what was the painting I bought? You haven't told me what I spent nearly a quarter of a hundred grand on."

Clary glared at him again. "It was the homeland of these angel warriors. I called it Idris. Or what I imagined to be Idris."

Jace kissed the top of her head. "And it sounds really incredible, babe. I for one can't wait for you to write this book so I can play the male protagonist." This earned him a nudge in the ribs as he laughed. 

"Jerk. Now tell me what case you guys are working on. I told you something about me. So tell me something about you."

Alec sighed. "Fine. Jace and I got assigned to the Morgenstern case yesterday. That's when Magnus was signed on to help us solve it."

Clary's eyes widened at the mention of Morgenstern. "Did you just say Morgenstern? As in Valentine Morgenstern?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

Clary played with a strand of hair and bit her lip. "Well....its just funny that you mention him. He's....he's my birth father."


	7. Chapter Seven

The news of Valentine being Clary's birth father came as a bit of a shock to the group. Jace, who was normally never surprised, had his mouth agape as he stared at his girlfriend. If Alec hadn't been badly wounded, he would've shot off the bed and began to pace the floor, considering his options and next move. Isabelle remained stoic, face unmoving. 

"How did this happen? When did this happen?" Jace whispered. 

"Well, Jace. When a daddy loves a mommy very much-" Magnus ducked as Jace tried to punch him. "Relax. Just trying to relieve the tension in here. Obviously it happened-how old are you, Clarissa?"

"20."

"So obviously it happened 20 years ago when Valentine and her mother decided to bump uglies. That's usually how it works. Are you working for him?"

Clary shot him a look. "Are you working for him, Magnus? I haven't even met the guy. My mom left just after when I was born. I've seen pictures of him and stuff but never met him in person. Heard he's an awful person, though."

"Awful person is an understatement," Alec said. "The list of crimes he's committed is practically endless. There's file after file of all the shit he's done. We've seen it," he nodded his head towards Jace and Magnus. 

Clary buried her head in her hands. "I'm so sorry, you guys. If there's anything I can do to help out, I'll do my best. I can ask my mom if she knows anything-"

"Clary. Babe....it's fine. Don't feel obligated to give information you don't have. This case has nothing to do with you. You were a baby when he started committing crimes. You can't be blamed for any of this."

"Jace is right. The crimes of the father aren't the crimes of the child," Isabelle offered Clary a small smile. 

Alec reached over for a file on his bedside table but a sudden pain from his wound flared up. He hissed, placing a hand on his hip. "Ugh. Fuck. Izzy, can you pass me that folder please? I want to look at something." She handed him the file. "I remember reading yesterday that Valentine actually mentioned you when he questioned years ago."

Clary pointed at herself. "Me? He mentioned me?"

Alec flipped the page. "Ah. Here it is. May 23, 2006. Valentine was brought in for questioning about a series of murders-"

"Murders?!" Clary exclaimed. 

"....murders in the city. All the victims were either working with him at that time or they were ex employees. Valentine apparently asked how was his daughter doing. She has something that he needs."

Everyone's eyes were suddenly on Clary. She shook her head. "I don't know what he's talking about! I told you, I've never met him before in my life!"

"Clary....relax. We're not accusing you of anything. We're just.....surprised. After all these years, why mention you then? When you were 10 years old?"

Magnus scratched his chin, clearly deep in thought. "It's not uncommon. Lots of deadbeat dads come looking for something that their baby mama has that they need. Or their kid has something they want."

"Yeah, but what is it though? Money? Heirloom?" Jace pondered out loud. He was doing enough pacing for both himself and Alec. "I swear to god if he ever comes near you, I'm shooting him, Clary. No questions asked."

"No, you're not shooting him, Jace. We need to bring him in. Not shoot him. Ending his life would only be a short and sweet sentence," Alec shifted uncomfortably on his bed. "We need to look over these files and see if there's anything we could use as a lead."

Isabelle sighed. "I'd love to help but I actually have to get back to school. There's a case study I need to work on and it's half of my grade. You'll be okay here for now?"

Alec nodded. "I'll be fine, Izzy. I'm sure Jace here won't let me go too far. Right?"

Jace smirked. "Nah. We might go for jog later but that's about it-"

"He's kidding, Isabelle. He's kidding. Love you," Alec kissed Isabelle on the cheek. "Good luck with the case study."

"You don't need luck when you're as smart as I am," Isabelle winked as she headed into the elevator. 

Once she was gone, Clary sighed heavily. She seemed tired. "I should go too. My mom has another gallery show tonight. She'll probably need my help setting up."

She got to her feet, with Jace following close behind. Alec watched from his bed; the way Jace held her gently and spoke to her in a low but gentle voice. The way he rest his forehead on hers and chuckled at something she said. Alec felt a twinge of jealousy in his gut. He wasn't jealous of Clary. He wasn't even jealous of Jace. He was jealous of what they had together, more or less. 

"Careful. You're boring a hole in their heads with the way you're staring at them," Magnus whispered to him. 

Alec woke up from his daydream. "What? I wasn't staring. I was just lost in my thoughts. Definitely wasn't staring."

"Sure. If you say so. It's unhealthy to keep thoughts like that to yourself, you know. You should keep a diary of some sort. It works for me."

Alec snorted. "So you can find it and read it? No thanks. I'd rather keep these thoughts to myself. It's safer that way."

Magnus frowned at this, opening his mouth to comment but Jace cut him off. 

"Clary's gone. She said she'll check in with us before the show," he sighed and sat next to Alec on the bed. "So. What next, Detective Lightwood? Go over these case files to see what we can find?"

"Might as well. I'm not moving from this spot any time soon. Unless you still want to go for that jog?" Alec smirked at his brother, earning himself a fist bump from him. 

"Race you?" Jace said, grinning from ear to ear. 

"You're on," Alec smirked back. 

**********

"Oh my fucking lord, if I have to read another word I'm throwing myself out the window....." Magnus complained three hours later. 

"How about I shoot you instead? It'll be faster that way," Jace grumbled from across the room. He, too, looked exhausted. But at least he wasn't complaining every ten minutes like Magnus was. 

"I agree with Magnus, Jace. We looked over a lot of files and we haven't found a-"

"Wait."

Jace stood up with an open file in his hand and paced the room. The expression on his face was a mix of confusion, surprise, and a look that Alec had never seen before. Jace was normally fairly composed, but whatever he read on the file broke down that composure 

"Jace? What's wrong?" Alec asked. 

Jace opened his mouth and then closed it. "There's a name here that I recognize. I know this person."

"From where? How would you know anyone from these files?" Alec closed his own files. "This evidence is from when we were kids."

Jace glowered at him. "I arrested him once. Disorderly conduct, drinking on school grounds, inappropriate nudity-"

"Oh geez. It's Ragnor, isn't it?" Magnus buried his face in his hands. 

"Ragnor?" Alec raised an eyebrow. "Who's Ragnor?"

"You don't remember him? Geez Alec, you were there when he streaked naked across Times Square on New Years two years ago. Drunk as shit. Screaming something about aliens or something. It all sounded like gibberish," Jace pulled out a picture from the file, showing it to Alec. "That's him. Ragnor Fell. English dude. A bit weird. Keeps to himself."

Alec took the picture. "Isn't he the bum that lives outside that church in Brooklyn?"

Magnus snatched the photo from Alec's fingertips. "Ragnor is not a bum. He's more of a....minimalist."

Jace snorted. "If you consider not having anything in general a minimalist lifestyle, then yes. That's exactly what he is."

Magnus rolled his eyes. Jace was lucky that he was cute. Everything else just straight up annoyed him. "Ragnor had a rough life. Can you honestly blame him?"

"With the shit economy we have today? Nope," Jace said. "But I can, however, blame him for the shit he pulled ten years ago that got his name all over this file in the first place."

Alec took the file in his own hands and read it. "Arms dealer? Shit. He was selling assault rifles to the black market too. That's heavy stuff."

"Ragnor always did go big or went home....." Magnus mumbled. Jace and Alec looked at him. He nodded. "Yes, I knew him. We crossed paths once or twice over the past four years. He was bumming change off people and I was conning change off people. Seemed like a good idea at the time to work our magic."

"By magic you mean steal, right?" Jace crossed his arms over his chest. "I mean, that's technically what you do. Steal."

"Hey. I didn't ask for your opinion, now did I? So shut up," Magnus said calmly, which freaked Jace out so much that he actually did what he was told, much to Magnus' surprise. "Aside from the fact that Ragnor and I stole money from people, he's a good friend of mine. Despite the age difference."

Something buzzed from Jace's pocket. He took out his phone and peered at the screen. "Dammit. Clary needs me back home. Her car is too small to put one of her paintings in so she needs my truck. You guys okay without me?"

Alec nodded. "We're fine. Go do what you have to do. Magnus and I will go over the files again-"

"Uh, correction. You will go over the files again. I'm cooking some food. I'm starved," Magnus rubbed his flat stomach for added effect. 

"Right. Well, call me if anything comes up or if you're in a lot of pain. Be back in a bit," Jace grabbed his coat and was gone faster than Alec had wanted him to leave. He was alone with Magnus again. 

And he didn't want that. 

The con man was in the kitchen taking out pots and pans and turning on the oven. Alec found this oddly fascinating. There wasn't much he could do now that he was injured, so watching Magnus move around in the kitchen was the next best thing. 

"What are you doing?" Alec asked. 

"I'm cooking. That's what kitchens are for, aren't they? I've been dying to cook for you ever since I saw the mess of takeout wrappers in the back of your car. It's atrocious. Nobody should eat that much takeout. You'll get fat."

"I work out, Magnus. I'm all muscle."

Magnus gave him a sly grin. "Oh believe me. I know."

Alec blushed at this. He forgot that he was laying in bed with no shirt on, his upper body exposed. He felt goosebumps rise on his skin as Magnus raked his eyes over his body before turning his attention back to the kitchen. "Magnus? If you don't mind me asking.....are you gay?"

Magnus nearly dropped the pans in his hand. "Am I what?!"

"I'm sorry! I don't mean to offend you or anything-"

"You didn't. I'm just surprised. Why do you ask?"

Alec sputtered. "I-I was just c-curious. You're always flirting with m-me and sending m-mixed signals. You're con-confusing me."

Magnus relaxed and smiled. "I don't mean to confuse you. It's not my intention. And to answer you question, no. I'm not gay. Consider me a....." He thought about for a second. "Freewheeling bisexual."

Alec let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Oh. Okay. Cool."

"Not what you wanted to hear? If I didn't know any better, you sound defeated."

Alec ran a nervous hand through his hair. "No. I'm not defeated. I mean, I don't care if you're gay-bi, sorry. It's cool. Love is love."

Magnus looked at him from above the mixer. "Really? What are you, Alexander?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean are you....out? My gaydar just goes beepbeepbeepbeepbeep when I'm around you. Now I know you're not one of the more flamboyant gays but there's subtle hints here and there-"

"I'm not gay."

Magnus sighed, tapping his fingers on the counter. "Look. I know the police force doesn't realize accept the whole boy on boy or girl on girl thing, but keep denying that and I may have to just go over and kiss you to wake you the fuck up."

Alec swallowed thickly at the thought of Magnus' beautiful mouth on his. "I am awake. More so now than ever before."

Magnus heard the deep rasp in Alec's voice. "I don't know you very well, Alec. But I know you well enough to see that you're very unhappy with the way your life is right now. If you just....gave life a chance, it may surprise you one day. Someone could just walk right in and suddenly turn your world upside down in the best way possible. You just need to give people a chance."

The room was quiet after Magnus spoke, the only sounds being him in the kitchen cutting up red peppers and other vegetables. It smelled delicious. 

"What are you making?" Alec finally asked, breaking the silence. 

"Twice baked potato with a cauliflower purée with a New York steak mixed with a red wine reduction."

Alec blinked in confusion. "I don't even know what a purée is. Or a reduction."

"Please tell me you at least know what a potato is."

Alec scowled. "I know what a fucking potato is, Magnus. Don't patronize me."

Magnus smirked as he cut a potato in half. "I know how to cook lots of things. It's one of the many magical things I can do."

Alec's mouth nearly fell to the floor. "You used to be a chef? When?"

Magnus smirked. "Not a chef. Self taught. I watch a lot of cooking shows. It really isn't that hard to do once you get the hang of it."

"I burn toast," Alec admitted. 

Magnus laughed. "Good thing I'm here, then. Your days of eating takeout 24/7 are over."

"You make it sound like you're moving in...."

Magnus shrugged. "I'm with you now, aren't I? Might as well help out where I'm needed. And you. Alec, are in need of a delicious home cooked meal," Magnus threw the steak down on the pan where it sizzled beautifully. "Now. How do you like your meat?"

Alec's face slowly broke out into a smile. "Medium rare."

Magnus smiled as well. "Me too."


	8. Chapter Eight

Even at night, New York remained as active as ever. Car lights, lights from other buildings, people shouting at each other; it could all be heard from Alec's loft house if he opened the window. Luckily his home was soundproof against everything except for Magnus' constant chatter. 

"So how was dinner? Better than Taki's?" Magnus asked. He set his coffee mug down and eyed Alec from across the table. "You haven't said a word in over three hours. I'm tired of doing all the talking."

Alec cleared his throat. "It was good. Really good. I liked the p-purée? And the meat was exactly how I like it."

Magnus smirked. "Excellent. A good cook knows their meat like the back of their own hand. No likes raw meat-actually no. That's a lie. Ragnor eats shit straight from the garbage so I can't say that no one eats raw meat. Because he does."

Alec cringed. "Why don't you help him then? Get him off the streets? I mean if you're as rich as you claim you are-"

"I have more important business to attend to with my money than occupy some bum who's responsible for getting himself on the streets."

Wow. Okay Alec sipped his coffee slowly, not wanting to provoke Magnus any further. "Right. Sorry I asked."

Magnus shook his head. "No need to apologize. You were just curious. I just can't see myself helping a man who ruined my life-" He cleared his throat. "Anyway. Change of topic. How long have you been a cop?"

As if on cue, Alec heard sirens down below on the streets. "Since I graduated high school. I knew all my life that I was meant to be a cop and help people. My dad more or less put in a good word for me. A week after I graduated, I got the call and I was shipped off to the academy a day later."

"Hmm. Interesting. Did you really want to be a cop or did you really want to prove something to someone?"

"What's that supposed to mean? I wanted to be a cop. Always did. I used to pretend I was a cop when I was a kid. Jace would be the robber and I'd catch him and bring him to jail. He hated that," Alec laughed at the memory. "That's when he decided too that he wanted to be a cop. We went to school together."

Magnus pointed to a photo on the wall. It was of Jace and Alec sitting down on a bench, Jace's arm around Alec's shoulders. He was making a weird face and pointing to Alec, whose face was scrunched up with a huge smile. "What's his story? Jace, I mean. How did....you know."

Alec sighed. "His parents died when he was a baby. Car accident. My parents were good friends with them and didn't even hesitate when it came to adopting him. He's my brother. Always has been."

Magnus took down the photo and looked at it. "Your face looks dumb here."

Alec snorted. "He had told me a really stupid joke right before the photo was taken. I look ridiculous in it."

"I beg to differ. I meant dumb in the best way possible. Like dumb cute." Magnus set the photo down on the table beside them. "You have a lot of good memories in here. Wish I could say the same."

Alec frowned. Magnus looked so sad as he looked around the room at the different little mementos from Alec's past. "They're just mementos. They hardly mean anything compared to the memory attached to them."

"That's what I'm saying. I don't have any good memories at all," Magnus chuckled, stirring his coffee with his spoon. "My apartment wasn't meant to host all these little tokens from memories past. Everything is placed where it is for a reason."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "You have OCD?"

"What? No. I mean I place my belongings where they are because I hide....stuff. Important stuff. Credit cards, contacts, emergency passports-"

"Whoa whoa whoa. Emergency passports? Are you expecting something to happen anytime soon?"

Magnus shrugged. "Doesn't hurt in being prepared. The person who wrecked my home was obviously looking for one of these important things. If not all of them."

"Right. You never did tell me about this person yet. Who are they? What do they want from you?"

Magnus chuckled. "Your inner cop is showing, Alexander. Not that I mind or anything. It's kind of sexy hearing you get all serious. Your voice gets deeper. It's hot."

Alec flushed red. "Tell me about whoever wrecked your apartment. Maybe I can help you catch them."

Magnus watched as Alec pulled out a notebook and a pen. He grinned as the detective fumbled with the pen, which was too small for his large hands. "Need any help with that, Detective?"

Alec grumbled something under his breath. "I'm fine. Now tell me about the possible suspects. Who do you know that could've done this?"

Magnus sat back in his chair and thought about it. "I have a number of enemies that could've done this. But I can only think of one that's cunning enough to actually go through with it while completely disregarding the consequences."

Alec twirled the pen in his fingers. "And that person is? I need a name, Magnus."

Magnus chuckled. "Oh boy. She's going to kill me for this. She'll kill you if you show up knocking on her doorstep." He took a deep breath. "Her name is Camille. Camille Belcourt."

Alec's jaw dropped. "The mayor of New York?"

Magnus forced a smile. "The one and only."

**********

"Why would the mayor of New York go to your apartment, wreck it, not take anything and then leave again?" Alec scratched out something on his list and swore under his breath. "This is becoming more and more of a headache by the second. This doesn't even make any sense."

"Oh it makes sense. To me, anyway. The hag always did have it out for me ever since we-"

"Ever since you what?"

Magnus rubbed the bridge of his nose. "We broke up last year. She's been making my life a living hell ever since."

Alec looked up at him. "You were lovers? How?"

"I'm bisexual, Alec. I love men and women. That's what bisexuality is."

"I know what it is. I'm not stupid. I'm just surprised. The mayor? How did that happen? Casual Friday's at the office?"

Magnus laughed. The sirens that were wailing down below in the streets had stopped long ago, leaving the loft strangely quiet. Silence never did suit him. He liked noise; Alec was the opposite. The loft was soundproof, as he had discovered when Alec was sleeping. No noise could get in (unless a window was open like right now) and no noise could get out. "It wasn't random, if that's what you're thinking. We were....business partners. She helped me in exchange for information on up and coming politicians who had their eye on her job."

Alec scoffed. "So she was the one who broke into your apartment."

"Bingo. The bitch is crazy. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right?"

"I wouldn't know...." Alec scratched his head awkwardly. 

Magnus watched him carefully. "Sorry. I understand if this is all confusing. Camille is known to complicate things more than they already are. It's one of her many talents."

"I can't even begin to imagine what her other talents are...." Alec grumbled. 

"Alec. Is that a hint of jealousy I hear?" Magnus grinned, poking Alec's side. Alec hissed in pain. "Shit. Sorry. Forgot you took a bullet earlier."

"It's fine. And no. I'm not jealous. I just....can't imagine what talents our beloved mayor has. Is she musically inclined? Knows her way around a kitchen?"

"Sure. If you're using kitchen as a sexual innuendo. She definitely knows her way around the kitchen."

Alec didn't say anything. He stared Magnus down and wondered what the hell this con man had gotten himself into with this woman. "Has she contacted you since the....since the breakup?"

Magnus smiled at the hesitancy in Alec's voice. "Once. She called and begged me to think about what I was doing. I knew what I was doing. I was freeing myself of that-that vampire. All she did was suck the life out of me and-"

"Suck your dick?"

"Alec-"

"I'm sorry. Continue."

Magnus scowled. "Anyway. Like I said. She's a vampire. She'll drain you of everything you have. Money? Contacts? Life itself? She'll drain it."

Taking out his tablet, alec typed in Camille's name. "Let me look her up in the NYPD database. See if she's had any prior a before her mayoral debut."

"Ah yes. The database. Why didn't I think of that?" Magnus chugged the last bit of his coffee and laughed. "Am I in that database?"

Alec continued to type. "Of course you are. You've been arrested exactly eight times. Although it was nothing too serious. Nothing was solid. No evidence to pin on you."

"Oh. How nice of you. Thanks."

Alec swiped the screen and sighed. "Well then. Camille Belcourt was a bad girl. Check this out." 

He passed the tablet to Magnus, who took it and whistled. "Narcotics. Heavy stuff. Where did you even get this information? Something like this would be buried. Or deleted completely if she wanted to even run for mayor."

Alec smiled. "My sister. She can hack into nearly anything. She upgraded the database so that my tablet has direct access to it from home. Plus I can view files that were supposedly deleted."

Magnus laughed. "I'm impressed. Who knew the tiny little lawyer Isabelle Lightwood could pack a heavy punch?"

Alec smirked. "She's full of surprises, that's for sure. She could easily make a living for herself just by hacking. But then again, almost her entire family are cops so....that wouldn't work out too well."

"They hire hackers at the FBI. I've watched enough Criminal Minds to know this."

"Most hackers go to jail, Magnus. Nearly 90% of them are behind bars. It's a serious federal crime and it's taken very seriously."

Magnus stuck out his tongue and typed in his name on the tablet. "Am I even allowed to look at my own file? I mean, it is mine after all. I'm the one committing these crimes and giving you cops a nice pay check."

"Do what you want. Like you said, it's your file-"

"Jesus H Christ! Is that the mug shot you people decided to go with?! Are you kidding me! That's not even my best side! And the hair-oh sweet butterfingers....." Magnus sank in his seat and groaned. "I'm the laughingstock of the database. I must be. I have to be."

Alec took back the tablet. "What's wrong with this mugshot? I think you look-" He paused, aware that Magnus was watching him carefully, waiting for him to finish what he was saying. "It's fine. The picture is fine."

Magnus scowled. "What would you know about angles and lighting? I bet you've never taken a single selfie in your life. Do you even know what a selfie is?"

Alec sighed and rolled his eyes. "I know what a selfie is, Magnus. They're a waste of time. Look-this photo is fine. Stop worrying about something as pointless as a damn photo. Focus on more important things. Like what you want to do about Camille. If I can find solid evidence that she's the one who wrecked your apartment, would you like to press charges?"

Magnus giggled. "Press charges? Against Camille Belcourt? Good fucking luck with that. She'll have me swimming with the fishes in the Atlantic Ocean faster than you can recite the alphabet."

"So that's a no?"

"That's a no from me. It's a waste of time, anyway. How about I upload a new mugshot instead? Your bathroom has amazing lighting-"

"No. You're not changing the photo. Change it and I'll handcuff you to the bed and you won't be able to do shit all."

Magnus purred. "Oh please do, Detective. That sounds kinky as fuck. I'm down if you are."

Alec grimaced as he got to his feet. He was disgusted. Not at Magnus for saying that it sounded kinky, but for mentally agreeing with him and kind of wanting to do it just for a laugh. "I'm going to work out for a bit. Blow some steam."

Magnus stepped in front of him. "I don't think that's a good idea, considering you've been shot...I'm not qualified to change the dressing if your wound reopens."

"Then I'll do it myself. I've had my fair share of stitching myself up as a kid. This is no different."

"Alec-jesus. Just stop, would you? Shut up and sit down on your bed. If I told you I'd help you make a connection between my apartment and Camille, would you stop being an idiot and do what you're told?"

The sincerity in Magnus' voice was what grabbed Alec's attention. There was no sarcasm in it. No condescending tone. Just pure sincerity and concern for his well being. Alec nodded. "Sorry. You're right. I'm being an idiot. Working out while I'm in this condition is a terrible idea."

Magnus helped the detective sit down. "Finally. He sees the light. Now what exactly is the process for b&e's?"

Alec groaned quietly as he cupped a hand over his wound. "We search your apartment for evidence. Question your neighbors. It's protocol. If we find anything that directly points in Camille's direction, then that's when we can go and question her."

Magnus cocked his head to one side. "Huh. It's that easy, huh?"

Alec sighed and shook his head. "It's never easy, Magnus. It's never easy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Camille Becourt as the mayor of New York? Bet y'all didn't see that one coming. She'll play a vital role in gathering evidence against Valentine. Also, there may be some fluff in the next chapter. I love me some malec fluff. Anyhoo leave a kudos and a comment if you like!


	9. Chapter Nine

Alec unknowingly had fell right into Magnus' trap. With this "upgraded database" that was introduced to him, Magnus now had access to addresses, numbers, things that his mind couldn't even comprehend because of the excitement that was overwhelming him. He could do a lot with this newfound information. 

He felt bad for Alec, of course. He knew that the young detective had a kind heart and wanted nothing more than to help Magnus, but he was also somewhat naive. You never trust the con man. You will get conned. That's just the way of the world. It's con or be conned, and Magnus would much prefer to con. 

"I just finished speaking with the mayor's secretary. She's going to set up a meeting for the both of us at 2 tomorrow afternoon. That should give us plenty of time to search your apartment for clues and question your neighbors," Alec set his phone down beside him and sighed. "This is getting exhausting. We're supposed to working on the Valentine case. Not getting sidetracked."

"But the mayor could have contacts outside her mayoral office. They could give us what we need." Magnus winced at what he said. "Shit. I said too much. Forget I said anything-"

"Too late. What kind of contacts? Are you suggesting that Camille is involved with Valentine?"

Magnus poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue. "Not is. Was. How do you think a woman with a criminal record like hers even ran for office? She needed someone with power in order to give her the boost she needed. Once she had it, she didn't need Valentine anymore. But that doesn't mean the two don't get cozy from time to time."

This info was quickly added to Alec's list of crucial information. "This is incredible. What's even more incredible is that it makes sense. Complete sense. She knew she would win because she had Valentine's money and support to back her up."

"And she had a history of violence, which was failed to be mentioned in that sofisticated little database of yours." Magnus tapped on the screen. "She used to beat men she thought deserved it. Call her the female Daredevil, if you will. Took down men she thought were ruining the city. Even killed a man once."

Alec's jaw went slack. "She killed a man? Why wasn't it reported?"

"Why do you think? Because Valentine covered it up. It's obvious. He has people to do his grunt work and other people to clean up that grunt's mess. It's a whole hierarchy system we're dealing with here."

Alec's phone began to ring. "It's Jace. Give me a sec...." He held the phone up to his ear. "What? I'm in the middle of something right now."

"You and Magnus making out? Tired of eye fucking each other?"

Alec choked. "What?! No! He's discussing the mayor with me. I think we're really on to something, Jace. You should come over and hear this for yourself."

Traffic noises blared in Alec's ear and Jace swore. "Son of a bitch! Damn taxis in this city! Don't watch where they're fucking going! Yeah, I'm on my way over there now. Just finished up at the gallery. Won't be long. Ten minutes tops. Want some takeout? Jade Wolf is open 24/7. I just ordered some mu shu to go."

Alec glanced up at Magnus. He was scrolling through something on the tablet, deep in concentration. "Uh, I'm good. Magnus and I already ate."

Jace giggled. "What did you eat, dear brother? Does it rhyme with grass? Minus the G and the R?"

Alec scoffed. "You're a pig. He cooked a very elaborate meal. Steak and potatoes. Just so you know, it was the best meal I've ever had in my life." Alec looked up to see Magnus beaming at him proudly. He couldn't help but give a small smile back. 

"Whatever you say. Anyway, I'm almost there. Catch you in five." Then the line went dead. 

Magnus cleared his throat. "What did Jace think we were eating?"

Alec turned red in the ears. "Nothing. He's just being stupid. Typical Jace-what are you looking at on my tablet? You've been concentrating on something for a few minutes now. What is it?"

Magnus flipped the tablet over. "Browsing through your Facebook. If we're going to be roommates for a while, I need to know who you are as a person and not a detective."

"Roommates? You have your own apartment!" Alec made a move to grab the tablet but fell back into bed as his side flared with pain. "Ungh, fuck! It hurts!"

Magnus was at his side almost immediately. "Is there anything I can do to help?!"

"Yes. You can start by getting off my Facebook page and stop looking through my stuff. That's an invasion of privacy-" Alec grunted again, closing his eyes against the pain. 

Magnus bit his lip. He didn't like to see Alec in so much pain. "Let me check the dressing and see if it needs to be changed."

He lift the blanket that had been laying on top of Alec for an hour. The dressing appeared to be fine; however, there was a small tattoo just beside the bandage that he hadn't noticed before.

"You have a tattoo?" He asked. 

"Yes. Jace and I have matching tattoos. We got them when we were in our teens. Our parents didn't know about it until later in life. It symbolizes our friendship. Our brotherly love."

Magnus peered down at the tattoo again. "It's pretty. It obviously means something to you both."

Alec nodded. "Are you done looking at my body under there? Why don't you cop a feel while you're at it?"

Don't tempt me Magnus thought. "Sorry. The bandage is fine. Your wound didn't tear open or anything-"

"Alexander Gideon! You won't believe who I saw coming out of the gallery just then!" Jace stomped out of the elevator and slapped down a paper bag on the counter. "No sooner did you mention the mayor, she came waltzing out in this weird jacket that looked like wolf skin or something. She nearly ran me over with her car."

"Was she alone?" Magnus asked. 

Jace nodded. "What she was doing at the gallery is beyond me. Clary only accepts purchases online. Not up front."

Magnus stroked his chin, which was lined with 5 o'clock shadow. "Strange. She usually doesn't go anywhere without her posse of idiots. Did you see where she was headed?"

Jace had shoved a mouthful of mu shu pork into his mouth when Magnus asked him a question. "Um.....not really. A taxi nearly hit me and I lost sight of her. Sorry. Want some mu shu?"

Magnus grimaced at the strange coloured meat. "I'm good. As Alec already told you, we ate earlier."

"So I've heard. Steak and potatoes. Didn't bother to save me any, I see," Jace pointed to the dishes on the side of the sink. 

"Oh I'm so fucking sorry, Jace. Next time Alec and I eat ass, I'll be sure to save you some." Magnus watched as Jace choked on his food, pleased with this beautiful reaction. Even Alec looked a bit shocked and amused. 

After Jace had finished eating his food (in silence), Alec pulled up Camille's rap sheet on his tablet. "See? This is what we were talking about earlier. This would've never been found it if wasn't for Izzy's hack."

"You think it's a liable source? I mean we don't even know if Camille is still working with Valentine...." Jace swiped the screen with a greasy finger. "Oops. Sorry."

Alec scowled. "It's the best lead we got so far. I say we go for it. Track her down. Question her."

"But is that wise?" Magnus said. "Do we want to piss off the second most powerful person in New York? The first being Valentine?"

"We need something, Magnus. If this is the only lead we have so far, then we need to follow it. A good detective never ignores possible leads. Even if they lead to a dead end."

Jace laughed. "Chapter 4 in our Justice class. Nice."

Alec smiled. "Thanks. So are we good? We're all in agreement with following this one lead?"

Magnus shrugged. "I'm not. But hey. You're the law. I'm just a guy who got mixed up with it."

"Ignore him. I'm with you, bro. Thick and thin," Jace fist bumped his brother and smiled a cocky smile. "So where does our bad girl mayor like to hang out on a Friday night, anyway?"

Magnus put a hand on Jace's shoulder. "Where else is there to go on a Friday?" He smiled a pearl white smile. "Pandemonium, of course."

**********

"I can't believe I agreed to this. We're going undercover without the consent of our father. This could cost us our career, Jace."

Both brothers were in Alec's bathroom getting ready; Jace was slicking his blonde hair back and spraying on cologne while Alec brushed his teeth. It wasn't a very large bathroom. They were crammed together as they tried to move around. 

"Technically it's just recon. Undercover would require disguises. And code names. False identities. That sort of thing," Jace sprayed some hair spray, making Alec cough and gag. "Sorry. Are you seriously thinking about going to club with that hair?"

"What's wrong with my hair?" Alec ran a hand through it, finger getting caught in a tangle. "This is my hair all the time."

Jace snorted. "That's what I'm saying. We need to switch it up. You're a beast, Alec. Tall. Handsome. Piercing eyes. You're everyone's dream man-"

Magnus opened the door to the squat bathroom, accidentally hitting Alec in the face. "Balls! I'm so sorry. I didn't realize your cupboards were also a bathroom. A very small bathroom, at that....I heard talk of hair in here. Is there a crisis I need to fix?"

Jace pointed to Alec's head. "Crisis right here. I'm going out before I suffocate and die in here. Holler if you need me."

Jace left the bathroom, leaving Alec alone with a very determined Magnus. Normally, Alec would shy away from anyone who tried to touch him but this felt different. Magnus' fingers felt good in his hair. Relaxing, even. He almost let out a small moan of pleasure but caught himself in the nick of time. 

"Jesus, Alec. Do you even own a comb? Your hair is atrocious."

"Comb? The word is foreign to me."

Magnus chuckled. "Comb. It's old English. Germanic origin. Used to save one's hair from beginning a bird's nest."

Alec frowned at his reflection in the mirror as Magnus made an attempt to style his mop of hair. "I know what a comb is. I just.....never bothered trying to comb it. I'm not trying to impress anyone."

Magnus paused for a second. "We'll consider me impressed. I managed to somewhat style it and I haven't found a single bird egg in it. You're clear." He smiled at the blush in Alec's cheeks as he smiled. "So what are you going to wear? Something I hope. Pandemonium isn't the place to wear holey sweaters or baggy jeans. This isn't pre-Hogwarts Harry Potter."

Alec laid out a shirt on his bed. It was a black t-shirt that Isabelle had picked out for him earlier that day. It was a bit form fitting, but he knew Magnus would be pleased with his choice. "I'm wearing those black jeans with them. Plus I think I've got boots somewhere around here. Is that good enough?"

Magnus eyed the shirt. "Try on the shirt. I want to see it on you."

Alec did as he was told. He reached up to grab the hem of his shirt and slowly tugged it off, wincing in pain from the wound on his hip. "Sorry. Still a bit sore."

"Take your time. No rush," Magnus half croaked. He watched in awe as Alec moved to the bed, every muscle in his upper body moving as he moved and reached for the shirt on the bed. He admired the way Alec's back muscles stretched and constricted as he reached above his head to pull the shirt down over it. When he turned around, Magnus felt his heart do a backflip as Alec's abdomen tightened as he rolled the shirt painfully slowly over his taut stomach, finally hiding the delicious looking hips that Magnus wanted to grab and bite so badly. 

"So? Does it look okay?" Alec said, fixing the sleeves. "It's a bit snug around my arms-"

"It looks amazing on you. Perfect fit," Magnus winked. He was secretly eyeing the way Alec's biceps flexed and swelled under the strain of the shirt. "Isabelle knows her fashion."

"Isabelle thinks she knows everything. It's the way she is," Alec pulled out a pair of jeans from his dresser. "Can you look away for this part? Do you really have to watch me take off my pants?"

"Can I?" Magnus asked, probably sounding a little too excited. 

"Um.....no. You've seen me once in my underwear already. No need to see me in them again."

Magnus rolled his eyes and looked away. "They say the second time's the charm, you know know."

Alec chuckled from behind him. "I thought it was the third?"

"Can't get to three without getting past two," Magnus smirked as he heard Alec stumble. "You okay back there? Need any help zipping up?"

"N-no. I'm good. I'm ready. You can turn around now." He showcased his outfit with a half smile as Magnus turned to face him. "Is this okay? I feel a bit awkward...."

Magnus placed his hands on Alec's arms and twirled him around. "You look amazing-oh! A squirt of cologne and you'll smell amazing too. That shirt really does wonders on you." He placed a gentle hand on Alec's arm, stopping him from moving any further. "Are you sure you're up for that? Moving around too much might not be a good idea, considering your condition..."

Alec shrugged him off. "I'm fine, Magnus. What are you going to wear?"

Magnus barked a laugh. "You're kidding me, right? Alexander, I look good 24/7. I don't need to change. I look fabulous enough as it is. I don't want to kill anyone with my beauty." He looped and arm over Alec's shoulders (with a bit of difficulty because Alec was so tall) and smiled broadly. "Come on, detective. Let's go kick ass and take names and look amazing while doing it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's a bit of hot stuff in there (Magnus checking out Alec's body) and the next chapter will have some heat in it. Pandemonium. Alec. Magnus. On a crowded dancefloor. Hormones are gonna roll.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so I worked hard on this chapter. It might not look that way while you're reading it but I actually did work hard. So enjoy :)

Pandemonium wasn't at all what Alec expected on a Friday night. For starters, it was crowded, and he didn't do well with crowds. Secondly, the lineup went around the corner of the block which was much too long for his taste. As patient of a person as he was, he wasn't about to spend an hour in line for something that was already arranged at 2 in the afternoon tomorrow. 

"How long are we going to have to wait in line?" Jace yelled over the noise. 

"Jace, please. I'm the owner of the damn club. We're not waiting in any line." Magnus pushed ahead of the crowd. "Follow me, boys! I'll show you what VIP is like when you're with Magnus Bane!"

Alec scoffed. "If he keeps referring to himself in third person all night, I'm walking out into traffic."

"Don't be so dramatic. VIP isn't a bad thing. We could get free drinks!" Jace shimmied his way past a girl with purple dreadlocks. 

"Jace, we're on the job. We can't be drinking. It'll impair our judgment."

Jace looked back over his shoulder at him. "You're no fun at all."

They finally made their way o the front of the line. Magnus was speaking with a huge bouncer with muscles bulging out of his black t-shirt. Once he saw Jace and Alec, he nodded and moved out of the way for them to pass by. The crowd behind them protested angrily. 

"See? I can work magic here. It helps being the head honcho of New York's finest club," Magnus winked at Alec. "Who's up for a drink?"

"I am. I'll have two shots of-what's the best drink you have?" Jace yelled over the music. 

Magnus pointed to a name on the menu. "Demon Poison. Not actually poison, mind you. But one shot alone will knock you off your feet. Dare to try it?" He watched as Jace tilted his head as he took the shot, gasping and coughing. "You're tougher than you look, Blondie. What about you, Alec? Shot?"

Alec looked down at the dark green liquid in his glass as Magnus slid one down to him. "I don't think this is a good idea. We have work tomorrow. I'd like to be sober for it."

"Come on, bro. One shot. Or two. It's not gonna hurt anyone. What dad doesn't know, won't kill us," Jace snatched another shot and drank it. "Whoo! Oh shit. I love this song. I'm gonna go dance! If you see me dancing with random girls, don't tell Clary!"

Alec made a move to stop him but he was too late. Jace was already making his way to the dancefloor, shaking his arms to the beat of the music as he walked away. "I really don't think this is a good idea, Magnus. You've never seen Jace drunk before. It's not pretty."

Magnus burped. "You know what's pretty? You." He poked Alec in the chest. "You're very pretty. You have nice eyes. I like hazel."

Alec leaned away. "You're drunk already? What the hell do they put in these drinks? Fairy dust?" He jumped in surprise when Magnus shoved a drink in his face. "I don't-I don't drink, Magnus-"

"Drink it. It'll relax your nerves. Maybe even make you brave enough to dance."

Alec peered at the liquid again, sighing heavily. "Fine. Just one drink."

Magnus smirked as Alec tilted his head back and took the shot, his Adam's apple bobbing attractively as he swallowed. When he came down from the shot, his face screwed up in disgust. "Come on. It wasn't that bad! Was it?"

Alec coughed. "No. It was awful. It tasted like shit. What's in it?"

The song changed to a heavy beat as Magnus grabbed Alec's arm. "Demon poison. Remember? Now come on. We're dancing."

Alec let himself be dragged to the dancefloor by the arm. He couldn't escape. Not this time. There were too many people around him and the grip Magnus had on his arm was like a vice grip. Even if he could get away, he wouldn't know where to go. He was so used to following Jace around that he felt lost without his little brother by his side. 

Magnus raised his arms up and moved to the beat of the bass. He didn't have a care in the world right now. He was on the dancefloor with the hottest detective in the world who's also probably the biggest party pooper in the world. But at least he was hot. It's not like you could lose Alec in a crowd. Or not notice him. It was impossible not to notice Alec. Tall, raven black hair, hazel eyes that turned golden whenever the strobe lights flashed a bright color. He was shockingly beautiful in more ways than one. 

Alec, on the other hand, stood as stiff as a board as the crowd around him danced. He didn't like it when someone brushed up against him or someone nudged him from behind and he stumbled forward. It was too much for him; too loud for him. He longed to be back home curled up in his bed with a book. Or visiting his parents. That was his typical Friday night. Not this......not this club scene. 

Something clicked all of a sudden. It was like a rubber band had snapped and everything suddenly made sense. The music. The flow of the crowd. Magnus. Yes, Magnus made sense. The con man looked like he was having the time of his life under the strobe lights, bobbing his head and bouncing his body to the bass. It looked so natural to him. 

Magnus reopened his eyes to see Alec staring at him, hazel eyes burning with desire. He knew this look. He'd seen it a million times before but this time it felt special somehow. Different. He wanted to dance with Alec; not to try and steal his wallet, but genuinely dance with him for fun. 

He slowly edged forward towards Alec. Not once did his gaze waver away from the hazel stare that continued to watch his every move as the beat grew heavier. He felt adventurous, so he took a hand and slipped it under Alec's shirt onto his uninjured hip. Alec twitched in surprise but never made a move to get Magnus' hand off his skin. So far so good. 

"Just follow my lead," Magnus said in Alec's ear, just loud enough to be heard. Alec nodded. Magnus could see that the other man was scared but of what, he had no idea. He continued to dance anyway and prayed that Alec would lose himself in the music. 

By some miracle or another, Alec finally gave in. It was a good song, all things considered. He completely forgot about his wound. The music was incredible. It made him feel alive. The bass reverberated in his ribs and in his back and chest. He never listened to wild music like this; his mother would never approve. He grew up on classical music. Opera. Music you'd never think a six year old would have playing in his bedroom. His six year old self would be mortified of the way his present self was acting. 

Sweat was now pouring from the both of them. Much to Magnus' delight, Alec's shirt was sticking to him (if only it was a white shirt) and his black hair was clinging to his forehead. He had half a mind to push it off of Alec's forehead. As if he read his mind, Alec reached up and with a large (but beautiful) hand, pushed his hair off his forehead and down over his face, eyes closed as he lost himself in the music once again. It was when the bass dropped again that Magnus knew that Alec's body was meant for him. Every gap, every angle, every bit of space belonging to Alec was made specifically for Magnus. He knew this because they were dancing so close that they practically shared the same breath. 

Magnus couldn't contain himself any longer. He leaned in and placed his lips on Alec's neck, sucking gently. Alec tasted of cologne and sweat; a combination that could only be surpassed by his mother's home cooking (God rest her soul). It drove him crazy. The longer he sucked on Alec's skin, the more he wanted to take him to a dark corner and makeout, and there were a lot of dark corners to choose from. 

Alec pulled away. He looked devastated by what just happened and kept looking from Magnus' eyes to his lips and to his eyes again. 

"What the fuck was that?!" Alec yelled. 

"I'm so-I'm so sorry, Alec. I don't know why I did that. I'm sorry!" Magnus spluttered. Which was unusual. He was never at a loss for words. Only Alec made him this way. 

Alec shook his head. His expression was hard to read, even with the bright lights overhead. He gripped Magnus' shirt tight and tugged him forward with a sharp jerk. 

And kissed him. 

Did Magnus even call for fireworks at his club? He couldn't quite recall. All he knew is that he heard sharp whistles around him that sounded like distinct fireworks. Or maybe they weren't. All he could focus on was Alec's deliciously sexy mouth as it moved in sync with his own. Much like Alec's body, his mouth was also made just for Magnus. 

Alec moaned. Little did Magnus know, he had no sweet clue what he was doing. He'd never kiss anyone before this moment. Should he use tongue? How much tongue? Which way should he tilt his head? Too many questions ran through his head the longer he kept his lips on Magnus. But it felt good. He felt alive. More alive than the rush of adrenaline he always got when he was out on the field. 

The song ended and the crowd cheered and whistled at the DJ. This was when both men pulled away and stared at each other in awe. Or was it a hint of something else? The strobe lights had messed with their vision. Neither of them knew what they were looking at. 

"We should-we should probably...." Alec stuttered. 

"Look for Jace? Yeah. That's a good idea. Wonder where he went off to?" Magnus forced a chuckle as they left the dancefloor in search for Jace. 

Jace, as it turns out, hadn't gone far. He was standing beside a large red curtain with his arms folded over his chest. He seemed to be listening to something, his face scrunched in concentration. When he saw Alec and Magnus approaching, he raised a hand to stop them from speaking. 

"Shhh. I just saw the mayor go back there. She's talking with someone but I can't tell who it is," he nodded his head toward the curtain. "It sounds like a man but I can't tell. Could be a deep voices woman for all I know."

Magnus snorted. "You have experience with deep voiced women, Jace? Move. It's my club. I'll listen in on the conversation."

He pushed past Jace and leaned in close to the curtain, listening carefully. "Something about a job. It'll be cold soon. Money is tight-oh someone just sneezed. Bless you."

"What else can you hear? We're looking for solid evidence, remember? If we overhear anything right now, it will never hold up in court," Alec pointed out. 

"Thank you, captain obvious. You think I don't know that already? I've been to court. I know how it works," Magnus listened closely again. "This is pointless. We're better off looking through the security camera footage to see what went on back there."

Alec shot him a look. "You mean to tell me that there's a security camera back there? That caught the conversation and the person she was talking to?!"

"Yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying. There's also a door back there in the VIP room so she could make a quick getaway with whoever she came here with. How good of a hacker is Isabelle?"

Jace laughed. "She changed my math average back in my senior year by accessing the grading system. From home. Does that tell you anything?"

"Actually, it does. You sucked at math," Magnus have Jace a pat on the back and a smile. "As much as I'm enjoying myself here at the club, I'm afraid we need to head back to Alec's. Think we can get Isabelle to come over to help access the cameras?"

Alec nodded. "I'll call her when we get back. Should I call a taxi too? We're all still sort of buzzed so...."

Jace slicked his hair back. "I feel great. Those three shots of Demon Poison and that Bloody Mary hit the spot. I'm good for another couple of hours."

"You say that now but as soon as you go home, you're going to hit the pillow and fall asleep instantly. You're like that all the time," Alec said. "I had one drink and it was enough for me."

Jace made a face. "You were never a partier anyway. You more or less went to them to make sure I didn't hurt myself or choke on my own vomit."

"Well that's an image I definitely didn't need. Let's call that taxi, shall we? The sooner we get back, the sooner I can go to bed. Partying with you two took the energy right out of me." Magnus unconsciously reached a hand up and felt his lips. They were tingling; he could still feel Alec's lips on his. 

"Sounds good. Take me home. If I'm going to vomit, I'd much rather do it in the comfort of my own house," Jace paused just outside the building, holding his stomach and gagging. "On second thought-"

Alec grimaced as Jace threw up on the side of the road. 

**********

Isabelle had accessed the security cameras right from her own school dorm, stating "I'm lazy. Don't want to come over. I'll just do it from here" which she did, much to their surprise. Her skills were not to be underestimated. 

"Okay. So we entered the club around....and then we eavesdropped at.....so the cameras had to have picked up the feed just before we left. Is there any sound? How do I get sound?" Alec frantically tapped on the screen. "Is there any sound?"

Magnus took the tablet from his hands. "Yes, there's sound. Just be patient," he looked up at Alec and sighed. "We need to talk about earlier, Alec."

Alec shrugged. "About what?"

"You know what. The kiss? On the dancefloor?"

"Oh. That. I was drunk-"

"You had one fucking shot. Get over yourself. Drunk, my ass. Just admit that you like me and be done with it."

Alec scowled. "You're so goddamn full of yourself! You think the world revolves around you and everything will always work out the way you want it to! Well guess what? It doesn't!"

"Oh yeah? Well you're so goddamn repressed that you can't see that there's someone right in front of you that happens to like you for who you are! You think the world is against you and everything will always go the opposite way of what you want it to! Well guess what? It won't!"

Alec was breathing heavily as Magnus spoke, his anger boiling his blood and making his heart beat rapidly in his chest. "I'm not repressed. That kiss didn't mean anything-"

"Keep telling yourself that, Alec. You and I both know that kiss meant something. Don't lie to yourself like this-"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Magnus. Jus-just go the fuck to sleep, okay? We'll go over the footage at the precinct tomorrow. I'm not in the mood right now."

Magnus scoffed. "Figures. Should've gave you more than one shot. You're much more fun when you're buzzed."

Alec stomped over to his bed and peeled off his sticky shirt, drenched with sweat. He winced as his hip stretched. "I'm never drinking again. Once was enough. Especially if it's with you. You're a nightmare! Honestly! You get under my damn skin and you stay there! Just go away!"

Magnus slid down onto the couch as Alec crawled into bed, somewhat hurt by Alec's words. After a few moments of silence, Magnus whispered "You can't hide from yourself forever, Alexander."

There was a momentary pause. "I can sure as hell try," Alec whispered back before flicking off the lights. 

Then the room went dark.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was very emotional for me to write. Several times I had to stop and take a deep breath before writing again. I hope you enjoy

Magnus Bane had hair the color of black coffee. As strange as this may sound, it wasn't cold or bitter like coffee one would expect to drink after its cooled down. His hair was the color of coffee that you wanted to wake up and take a deep breath to in the morning. Warm. Welcoming. 

Alec knew this because he'd been watching Magnus sleep for an hour. It was 5 am, which was the normal time he woke up to in the morning, and as he was getting ready to work out, he took a quick glance at Magnus on the couch. He was breathing deeply, his chest rising and falling with every breath and Alec suddenly felt a clench in his chest as he suddenly thought about each breath being Magnus' last. 

Chill out, Alec. Relax. You're thinking crazy thoughts

He picked up two 25 pound weights and began his reps. His hip ached and throbbed but he ignored it which probably isn't the best idea in the long run, but he didn't care. He needed to blow some steam. Last night didn't exactly go as planned (especially with the unplanned kiss) and his nerves were haywire this morning. 

"Why am I being such an idiot?" He grumbled to himself as he gripped his chin up and and pulled himself up. "This is stupid. This whole thing is stupid. Jace and I can solve this case without Magnus. We don't need him."

He pulled himself up again, holding the position as Magnus let out a snort from the couch. Alec thought he was laughing but he wasn't. He wasn't even awake; he was snoring peacefully. Alec let out a relieved breath at this and continued his chin ups. The last thing he needed was for Magnus to wake up and rake those eyes over his body again. 

Once he finished his workout, it was breakfast time. Nothing tastes better than scrambled eggs and bacon after a good workout. Protein and carbs. Wash that down with a cup of coffee and his day was made. Naturally, he planned on making extra for Magnus. It was the least he could do for him. He did make that incredible meal for them last night. This was his way of saying thank you. 

He cracked open four eggs and mixed them in a bowl. Magnus was still snoring away even when he was making a racket in the kitchen. Chairman Meow was perched on the counter, watching Alec pour the now mixed egg into the frying pan. He meowed softly and nudged at Alec's hand as his fur was gently stroked, purring like a chainsaw. 

"Who's a good kitty? Chairman Meow is a good kitty. Yes he is. Little Chairman is so cute-" Alec froze when he turned to see Magnus sitting up on the couch, his hair a complete mess from what it usually is. "Oh. You're awake. I didn't hear you get up."

"Just woke up. Smelled eggs and coffee. Were you coddling my cat just then?"

Alec picked up Chairman off the counter and placed him on the floor. Chairman looked absolutely offended by this and meowed in protest. "No. He jumped on the counter. I was just disciplining him."

"By rubbing his head and talking in a baby voice?"

"Listen. Do you want breakfast or not? I can eat this whole thing. Bacon and all. I just finished a workout and I'm hungry as hell."

Magnus looked Alec over. Was the detective aware that he was shirtless? His sweatpants hung dangerously low on his waist, accentuating those delicious hips. The veins in his arms bulged as he shook the frying pan around to spread the egg evenly around. He was a sight to behold first thing in the morning. "You know it's only after 6, right? The sun isn't even up yet."

Alec popped a piece of bacon in his mouth. "I like to get a head start on my day. Makes me feel more productive. What time do you usually get up?"

Magnus poured them up cups of coffee. "I'm a heavy sleeper. Sometimes I'll sleep all day. Other days I'm up before the afternoon. All depends."

"Partying will do that to you...." Alec mumbled but he knew Magnus heard him. He heard a chuckle from behind. "We got a lot to do today. The security footage, the meeting with the mayor-"

"Yeah about that....do we have to go? I'm having second thoughts about meeting Camille again."

Alec looked over his shoulder. "Why? She could be a lead on Valentine. Our first solid lead."

Magnus sipped his coffee. "She has people, Alec. People who can make us disappear with a trace. She has that kind of power, you know. It's scary."

"I'm not scared of her."

"And I really admire that about you. But we're moving too fast here. It's like diving into a pool before it's completely filled with water. We're going to get hurt."

The sizzle of the bacon made them both jump in fright. Magnus found himself starting to drool as Alec set down two plates and began to divide up the strips of bacon on their plates. It was exactly the way he liked it. Crispy. 

"So what are you suggesting? That we just drop the meeting? Forget about Camille?" Alec said as he turned off the eggs and used a spatula to pick it up and put it on their plates. 

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. Until we have a decent excuse to go see her, then we'll go."

"I waited an hour on hold to book that meeting."

"Alec. Please. I just can't see her right now."

Alec gazed into Magnus' eyes and saw that he was scared. "Fine. You don't have to go but I am. Lives are at stake here and I'm not about to walk away from what could potentially be vital information on the case."

Magnus bit his lip. The idea of Alec going into the vampire's lair alone terrified him. Nothing good could come from this if it happened. "Can't Jace go with you? He is your partner. You're supposed to be attached at the hip."

Alec pointed at his wound. "He was always attached to this one but it's out of order right now. He's as free as a bird."

"Alec, I'm serious. Don't go alone. The bitch will eat you alive and use your bones to pick out the remains between her teeth."

"Wow. You had to use gross imagery to get your point across, didn't you? And you had to do it while we were eating. Thanks, Magnus."

Magnus sighed. "Did it work? Are you scared yet? Camille is a scary name around these parts."

Alec swallowed the piece of bacon he had in his mouth. "Fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself."

A small smile crept onto Magnus' lips after a few moments. "I knew it. You're a diehard Harry Potter fan."

Alec grinned back. "That makes you one too if you even knew where that quote came from."

Magnus shrugged, waving his fork around. "Touché, Alexander. Touché."

**********

"Jace. Jace, dad is watching you through his office window. He's not pleased," Alec whispered. 

Jace whined. "Shut up. I'm hungover. I didn't even think those drinks would be that strong. I can drink a six pack without being drunk so why is this different?"

"Maybe it's because you're stupid and do stupid things. Maybe the alcohol is only super effective on stupid people. I'm surprised the liquor worked on you so fast. Am I the only one who finds unusual?"

"You find everything unusual, Alec."

Alec shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if you go down, I'm not going down with you."

Jace looked up at him and smirked. "That would be difficult. Two mouths on the one dick-"

Alec shot out of his chair when a gentle hand touched his shoulder. Magnus smiled up at him and shook his head. "Blondie here isn't even worth your time, Alec. Let him sober up a bit. Then knock his lights out."

Jace flipped him the finger. "Screw you."

"I wouldn't wish something like that upon anyone, Blondie. Not my fault you can't hold your liquor."

"Guys, please stop. I don't need the Commissioner coming out here and give us a lecture like kids. Let's focus on the task at hand here." Alec pulled out a notepad from his desk drawer. "Jace. I need you go over the surveillance footage at the club from last night while I'm gone. Magnus will help you."

Jace groaned in response. 

"Magnus, you help Jace with the footage. Call me if anything suspicious comes up. Let me give you my number-"

"I already have it," Magnus beamed. 

Alec stared at him, stunned. "How? When?"

"While you were sleeping yesterday. Your phone doesn't exactly have a lock screen so I went on it and got your number that way. Oh and I gave you my number too. In case you ever needed it for any reason."

Alec blinked, still stunned. "Okay then. Thanks, I guess. Saved me the trouble anyway. I'll call if I find anything suspicious." He grabbed his jacket and paused to look back at Jace. "Look after him for me, would you? Make sure he doesn't get into trouble?"

Magnus thought about saying no but this was Alec asking. He couldn't say no to that face. "Of course. Stay safe out there. Don't do anything stupid."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Alec mumbled as he slipped on his jacket and left the precinct. 

Luckily traffic wasn't too bad. The normal amount of time it took for him to drive through town from the his office to the mayor's usually took around 20 minutes. This time was cut by half today. He wasn't driving fast. There was just less traffic which was a miracle in New York. 

He parked just outside the building. Two men dressed in black were standing in front of the main doors and they looked ready to stop him if need be. 

"ID please," one of the rumbled. 

"Alec Lightwood. Detective Alec Lightwood. I'm here to meet with the mayor. I have an appointment," Alec flashed his badge, which he loved doing. It made him feel accomplished and proud. 

The other man looked at it. "Detective. Just check in with our front desk before heading up to the top floor."

Alec nodded and went inside. The building was enormous in comparison with the precinct. Why the mayor needed such a space was beyond his comprehension. The ceiling was at least 20 feet high with a linoleum flooring and white painted brick walls. It looked a lot like a hospital. Minus the death and the smell of bleach. 

The lady at the front desk looked up and smiled. "Mr. Lightwood. Mayor Belcourt is expecting you. Please make your way to the top floor."

Alec thanked her and pressed the UP button on the elevator. The doors opened immediately and he stepped in. 

When the doors reopened again, the walls went from a white to a dark red. The drastic change made him squint in confusion, unsure if whether or not he was still in the same building. The walls were a dark red and the floor went from linoleum to black carpeting (expensive looking carpeting) and Alec could see that on top of the carpet looked like plastic. Why would the mayor need plastic covering her carpet? Was it a new carpet?

The woman sitting at the large desk at the back of the room looked up. "Ah. Lightwood. I was wondering whether or not you were going to show up. Take a seat. I'm just finishing up some paperwork. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Water? Maybe something a little bit....stronger?"

Alec shook his head as he took a seat. "No thank you. I'm good. Beautiful office you have, mayor. It looks new."

Mayor Belcourt looked up again. "You could say that. We went under some renovations recently. Out with the old, in with the new sort of thing." She set down her pen and leaned back in her chair. "What can I do for you, Detective? It's not everyday I get a visitor from our beloved local law enforcement. Am I in trouble?"

Alec almost lost his voice as she stared at him. "Uh, no. Just a few questions, if you will. There's been a complaint from Ma-I mean, a citizen that their home was broken into and wrecked. They accused you of this crime."

Camille smiled so wide that her teeth gleamed under the lights. "Accused me? Who'd be stupid enough to do that?"

Magnus apparently Alec thought. "I just need to ask you a few simple questions regarding the incident, if that's okay with you."

Camille rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "If you must. Although we might have to cut this little meeting a bit short. I'm heading out."

"Of course. This will be quick. First question is where were you on the days Sunday through Wednesday?"

"Here. Working. Because I'm the mayor. I have a city to upkeep."

Alec jotted this down. "And are there witnesses I can rely on to confirm your whereabouts?"

Camille pointed to the guards at the door. "All my guards can vouch for me. I've been here all week. Minus a few trips out into the city to do mayor things."

"Right...and does the name Magnus Bane sound familiar?"

Camille's eyes flashed dangerously with anger. "What's it to you? What's does Magnus Bane have to do with this? Unless....of course. He's the one who filed a complaint, isn't he? Clever bastard. Always was one step ahead of the game. Let me give you a little heads up about Mr. Bane....." She stood up and sauntered over to Alec, her long legs bare save for a skirt that ended mid-thigh and a pair of black heels that looked to be about five inches. 

Alec stiffened as she swung a leg over him so that a knee was on either side of his hips in his chair. When she leaned in closely, he could smell a hint of whiskey on her breath. 

"Don't trust Magnus. He will lie, deceive, con his way into getting what he wants. Even if that includes you," she whispered in his ear. "Think I broke into his home? Prove it, Detective. I dare you."

Alec flinched as he felt her lips press against the side of his neck. "Mayor, I don't-I should be going now. That's all the questions I have-"

"That's all the questions you have. Now it's my my turn. I have a few of my own," she hissed in his ear. "Such as this. What were you and Magnus doing at Pandemonium last night? Surely not out for a drink. You don't....seem like his type."

Alec flinched again but this time out of anger. "And what is his type?"

She chuckled in his ear. "Certainly not you."

The guards that were next to the door made their way over and stood on either side of Alec. Their shadows looked intimidating as they loomed over him, ready to make a move if they had to. 

"Listen, Detective. I don't know why you're really here or what you plan on trying to achieve but I can guarantee you that you won't find anything. Not here anyway...." Camille stood up and placed her hands on her hips; a motion that wouldn't have been so frightening if Alec didn't get a bad first impression of her to begin with. "Handle him, would you? He's going to ruin the whole operation. Use force if necessary."

A switch flipped in Alec's mind as soon as he felt a broad hand grasp his shoulder. Using the moves he learned in training, he grabbed the guard's wrist and pulled him forward, causing the brutish man to stumble forward into Alec's raised knee. 

Alec jumped to his feet and feigned left as the other man made a move to punch him. He then grabbed the guard's arm, pinning it behind his back and slamming the man's face against the wall, blood spurting everywhere. He yelled when the first guard he took down grabbed him from behind and wrapped a strong arm around his throat, cutting off his windpipe. 

Alec choked and struggled for air as the grip around his neck became tighter. The edges of his sight were starting to turn black the longer he struggled and it was inevitable that he was going to pass out soon if he didn't get air into his lungs. 

"Let him go. He can't do anything now that he's half unconscious," Camille's voice broke through the dull ringing in his head that followed after falling to the floor and gasping for air. "Oh, Detective. You shouldn't have come here. Valentine won't be pleased that someone is poking around looking for information."

Alec coughed violently. "Y-you're working with Valentine?"

Camille laughed. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Nobody wants that. You'd stain my new flooring. Which is why.....I was prepared," she stomped her foot down on top of Alec, right on his wound. 

Alec screamed in agony as the sharp point of her heel drove into his skin. The darkness threatened to overtake him again, unconsciousness only another throb of pain away. He could feel hot tears roll down his as he struggled to look up at Camille as she kneeled down to look at him. 

"Whatever it is you're doing with Valentine....you won't get away with it," Alec said through gritted teeth. 

Camille licked her lower lip and sighed. "I won't be so sure about that, Detective. You came here for answers. You got nothing to pin on me. And now....you won't be able to ask any more questions." She snapped her fingers and more guards came on. "Get rid of him. Dump his body somewhere. Doesn't matter where. The rats will get him soon enough."

Alec struggled to get to his feet but a boot struck him in the back and he fell forward in pain. Before he could move against, a fist made contact with his face and he welcomed the darkness with open arms. 

**********

"He's not answering his phone, Magnus. I'm starting to get worried," Jace hung up for the fourth time and sighed. "You try calling. He might answer you."

Magnus looked up from the computer. "Why would he answer me? You're his brother. I'm just the man he arrested. Try again."

Jace slammed the phone down in front of Magnus. "Call him. Now. I'll keep looking through the footage. Leave a message if you have to."

Magnus sighed and dialled Alec's number. It rang once. It rang twice. It rang three times. By the fourth time he was getting annoyed. Finally, the voicemail cut in. 

"Hey you reached Alec. Leave a message and I'll get back to you."

Magnus took a deep breath. "Alec. Where are you? You should've been back by now and Jace is worried. I'm.....worried. Call me back as soon as you get this." He hung up and glared at Jace. "There. Happy?"

"Very. You've done well, young padawan. Now if we can only-" Jace froze, his face changing from neutral to shocked in less than a second. "Holy fucking shit."

Magnus looked at the screen. "What's wrong?"

Jace zoomed in on someone standing next to Camille. "Call me crazy, but who does that look like to you?"

Magnus squinted at the screen, his jaw dropping. "Well damn. Better call Alec again. He'll want to hear this." He dialled Alec's number again and like the first time, he got Alec's voicemail again. "Alec. You need to get out of there now. Camille is working with Valentine. She's dangerous."

Jace was watching him with a worried expression. "Still no answer?"

Magnus shook his head. "No. And I don't think it's because he's using a Nokia either."

"I can try tracking him."

"You can do that?"

"Hell yeah I can. All of our badges have an encrypted tracking device on the back of them so in case of emergency, like now, we can track the ID number and get an exact location on where that officer is."

Magnus clapped his hands. "Brilliant. Something useful. Unlike everything else you've done so far. Do it. Track him."

"Jesus, give me a minute...." Jace opened up another program and typed something in. After a moment or two, the screen began to flash green. "He's outside an abandoned church on Deighton. Not far from Pandemonium, actually. Why is he there?"

Magnus shook his head. "Stay here, mundane. I'll go check it out. Print out that screen while you're at it. We'll need it."

Magnus drove like a bat out of hell, silently thanking God that Jace just let him borrow his car without a second thought. All the while all he could think about was Alec. Was he okay? Did he find anything at Camille's office? Why was he outside an old abandoned church?

The church came into view as he neared it. It was old and rusty looking, the roof nearly falling off and vines grew around the outside of the walls. The windows looked broken; they must've been a sight to behold back in its glory days. 

Magnus climbed out of the car. "Alec? Are you here?" When no one answered, he quietly made his way closer to the church. It was eerily quiet. The most he could hear was the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. 

"Alec? Jace tracked you here. Your badge got this tracking thingy. I don't know how it works. Jace bores me when he speaks....Alec! Answer me!" 

A moment of silence. "Magnus?" A voice croaked. 

Magnus whipped around in search of where the voice was coming from. Beside the church was an alleyway, so he made his way towards it. From where he entered he could see a dark form crumpled on the wet cement, and it was barely moving. As he approached and realized what it was, his heart dropped. 

Alec. He was laying on his back, the front of his shirt covered in blood but that wasn't the worst part. His face was black and bruised and covered in so much blood to the point he was barely recognizable. He struggled for air and coughed as Magnus fell to his knees beside him. 

"Magnus. I'm-I'm so sorry," he coughed violently and winced. 

"Shh. It's okay. I'm here now. Oh, Alexander....." Magnus let his hand hover over Alec's face, not wanting to touch him for the sake of hurting him. "Who did this to you?"

Alec shuddered. "Camille. She's-I think she's working with-" Alec choked and coughed again. "It hurts, Magnus. It hurts so much."

Magnus stroked his hair which the only thing that wasn't covered in as much blood. "Come on. We need to get you to a hospital-"

"No! No hospitals! Take me-" Alec winced. "Take me home. Please. Just take me home."

He didn't completely agree, but Magnus nodded anyway. "Of course. I'll try my best to dress your wounds so don't shoot me if I accidentally hurt you."

Alec laughed and winced. "I'd rather you than Jace. He'd probably tell me to walk it off."

"That does sound like Jace. Um....can you move? I doubt I can carry you all the way to the car by myself."

Alec nodded. "I can try but it'll hurt."

"The pain won't last long, Alec. Just for a few seconds. Then it'll all go away."

Alec smiled. Regardless of the blood covering his face, Magnus still found him to be quite beautiful. "Okay. Hey Magnus? Can you stay? Like....stay with me when we get home?"

Magnus was baffled. "You say home like it's mine too."

"It could be if you want it to. You're not safe at your place. Trust me."

Alec's eyes look so pleading that Magnus couldn't say no once again. He was like a small puppy who was eyeing the cookie in your hand and wanted a piece. "Of course. I'll stay as long as you want me to. Right now, let's focus on getting you home and cleaned up. You're a disaster."

Alec giggled like a drunk. He was probably about to pass out from the pain he was in. "Magnus Bane. You care. Who knew?"

Magnus rolled his eyes. "I need you to stay awake, Alec. You could have a concussion. Stay awake, Alec. Focus."

Alec stumbled as Magnus carried most of his weight towards the car. Once he was inside, Magnus clicked on his seatbelt and made sure he was still awake. Much to his surprise, Alec was watching him the entire trip to the driver's seat. Even when he climbed in, the hazel gaze was still on him. 

"Why are you staring at me?" Magnus asked. 

"You said focus. So I focused on you."

"I said focus. Not try and burn a hole into my forehead with your gorgeous hazel heat vision."

Alec giggled. "You think my eyes are gorgeous?"

"Shh. You're hallucinating. I didn't say anything of the sort. Is your seatbelt on?"

"You think my eyes are gorgeous-" Alec winced and coughed again, reaching for the sides of the seat to grip but instead found Magnus' hand and squeezed. 

Magnus looked down at their entwined hands, not giving a single fuck about anything other than the grip that was holding him and the fact he needed to get Alec home as quickly as possible. He squeezed Alec hand back in return. 

"Hang in there, Alexander. We're almost home."


	12. Chapter Twelve

Magnus struggled with carrying Alec up to the loft but he didn't complain. The only thing he could think about was getting Alec in bed and his wounds cleaned; granted, he wasn't nurse of the year-hell, he wasn't even a nurse. But Alec needed help and there was no one else that could help him except himself. 

"Okay. Okay....uh....water. Clean the wound. Dress it. Rub A5-35 on the bruises? I don't fucking know!" Magnus set Alec down on the bed and gripped his hair. "Oh, Alec. I don't know what to do....but I'll try. Okay? I'll try my best."

Alec lay unmoving on the bed as Magnus grabbed as many things as he could from the bathroom. Bandages, dressing, rubbing alcohol. Whatever he thought would help Alec. He even grabbed a strange smelling salve in a clear jar. It was a milky white color when he opened it up to have a look inside. 

"Oh, shit. That smells-ugh!" Magnus gagged. "What the hell is this stuff? It better not be what I think it is....because that would be disgusting." He wet a facecloth under the running water in the kitchen before taking a seat beside Alec's bed, gently wiping the blood from his face. "You look like shit, just so you know. Not that it makes you any less beautiful or anything....because it doesn't."

Alec didn't answer. His breathing still sounded ragged and his chest rose and fell with difficulty. It went against every fibre in Magnus to not call an ambulance and get Alec the real help he needed. But Alec had told him no. He will listen to Alec. 

"So....I'm going to tell you a little story since we're here. I'm not even sure if you can hear me but I'll tell you anyway. I wasn't always a con man, believe it or not. I had a job. I loved that job. I...worked as a makeup artist. Oh, please. Don't laugh. You might need me soon to cover the...." He sighed as he wiped more blood from Alec's face. "Anyway. Back to the story."

"I was 12 when I realized that I liked both guys and girls. I'm not even sure how it happened. I was watching tv one day while my parents were still at work and I saw the most beautiful young man appear on screen. He was beautiful. Blue eyes, hair like yours, tall and built. He was gorgeous. As soon as my parents came home, I told them what I saw on tv. I remember telling them that I think I liked boys as well as girls and my dad....my dad. He's a man, my dad. He yelled at me and beat me with his belt. Tried to 'beat the gay away' but it was ironic. I'm not gay. I'm bisexual. But he wouldn't listen to what I had to say."

Magnus dabbed Alec's face gently. Alec moaned softly, clutching the sheets underneath him and winced as Magnus wiped his eyebrow. 

"Sorry. Didn't mean to hurt you. Got caught up in the moment....yeah. Um....anyway. I started dating this guy when I was 15. I can barely remember his name now. My dad found out and he just left. Claimed I was God's idea of a joke. Can you imagine? Your dad leaving all because you fell in love with the same gender as yourself. And he's not even that religious. Old bastard had an excuse every time my mom tried to get him to go to church. When he left I felt....a breath of fresh air. I felt free to date whoever I wanted. My mom was okay with it just as long as I stayed safe. At least I had her to support me."

Magnus opened the rubbing alcohol and dipped a cotton swab down into the bottle. "This is going to hurt like a bitch. Just letting you know now-"

Alec yelled as the swab touched the gash along his eyebrow. Magnus saw sweat beginning to form on his forehead the more he cleaned the wound there. 

"Sorry. I'm not trying to hurt you. I hope you understand that," Magnus paused, looking at Alec's still face. "Look. There's something that I need you to understand. The kiss at the club last night....I knew what I was doing. I knew plain as day what I was doing, Alec. My mind-my mind has never been more clear than when my lips were on yours. It was like my whole life suddenly fell in line and I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted you."

Alec took a deep breath as Magnus removed the dried up blood encrusting his nostrils. Magnus could see that he was breathing easier now. 

"You seemed so shocked when I kissed you that I was afraid that I scared you off. I know you're not exactly out to your family and friends yet, but I want to tell you something. There's nothing to be ashamed of, Alec. Absolutely nothing. It's better to embrace your feelings than try to hide them. Believe me. I've seen it destroy even the strongest of people. I don't want it to destroy you."

After a few minutes of cleaning and bandaging wounds, Magnus admired his handiwork. Not bad for a first time nurse. Alec was finally breathing easy and even looked to be in a deep sleep. Smiling to himself, Magnus pulled a blanket over the sleeping beauty before going over to the couch to lay down on it. Before he could get comfortable, Alec coughed and groaned loudly which brought Magnus' attention back to him again. 

"Magnus? Are you there?" Alec croaked. 

Magnus rushed over immediately. "I'm here. I'm here....how are you feeling?"

Alec winced. "I just got the shit beat out of me. I'm peachy."

Magnus chuckled. "Right. Sorry. That was a dumb question."

"You think? God, I hurt all over. How do I look? Is it bad?"

Magnus let his eyes roam over Alec. He couldn't lie; it was bad. His face was already swollen to the point where it was puffy and changed the shape of his face altogether. His lip was split open. There was a cut on his cheek. He looked terrible. 

"Fine. You look fine. Really good, actually. Better than before," Magnus forced a smile. 

Even with a swollen face, Magnus could see the scowl on Alec's face. "Don't lie to me. I know it's bad."

"If it makes you feel any better, I've seen worse."

"Gee. Thanks. I suddenly feel very uplifted by your kind words."

Magnus leaned back in his chair. Alec was trying to sit up, as stubborn as he was, and there was no point in trying to tell Alec no. "You want some water or anything? Water would be good for you right now."

"No. I'm fine. I'm just....in a lot of pain." Alec managed to move an inch before groaning. "Well then. That was stupid of me."

"You think? Don't move. I think you might have a concussion."

"Oh. That's real smart. You just let me fall asleep and you think I might have a concussion?"

The wet cloth in Magnus's hand dropped to the bed. "Are you saying I'm not smart? I was worried sick about you the entire time you were gone! I just spent the last three hours looking for you! Fifteen cleaning you up, and you're not even going to thank me?! I could've left you for dead but I didn't!"

"Well you should've!"

Magnus fell quiet. "What....what are you saying?"

Alec inhaled deeply. "You want to know why I'm terrified of hospitals? I'll tell you why. I was 9 when I got sick. Pneumonia. They said I was going to die but yet here I am. While I was in the hospital, I was in a recovery room getting a shot when they brought in a burn survivor. They were taking off his bandages and I began to stare. I couldn't bring myself to look away. I-" Alec took a shaky breath, reliving the memory in his mind. 

"You don't have to go on. I understand. I understand," Magnus whispered. 

"No. You don't. I kept staring at him as they peeled away his bandages. I was only 9. I screamed when I saw how burnt and raw the skin was underneath. It was like something right out of a horror movie. The nurse had to sedate me to calm me down and when I woke up, he was gone."

"Gone? Like....out of the room?"

Alec hissed in another breath. "Dead. He died in his sleep. But before he died he apparently asked the nurse if I was okay and to tell me to get well soon. I immediately regretted screaming when I saw him." He sighed heavily. "That's why I don't like hospitals. It's just death in there. Death and heartbreak. It makes me sick just thinking about it. That's why my parents always had the doctor to come to me. They knew I had a fear of the place."

Picking up the cloth in his hand again, Magnus pointed to Alec's forehead. "May I? You're sweating again."

Alec closed his eyes as Magnus gently wiped his skin clean of the sweat. He was genuinely surprised by how gentle Magnus was with him. "You're....so gentle. Why?"

Magnu snorted. "What were you expecting?" 

"Not gentleness, that's for sure."

"Did you want me to roughhouse you or something?"

"I want you to do a lot of things with me."

Both men gazed at each for what felt like an eternity. Much like a magnetic pull, they found themselves moving closer to each other, lips barely a foot away from each other as their breaths suddenly became one. 

Alec pulled Magnus into him. Magnus, caught off guard, widened his eyes in surprise as the detective unexpectedly pulled him in and pressed his lips against Magnus'. Eventually he gave in and began to enjoy having this beautiful hazel eyed man take control of the kiss, but at the same time, making sure he didn't hurt Alec's split lip or touch his bruised face. 

Alec leaned away for a moment, looking at Magnus' lips as the con man was suddenly left hanging, stunned that Alec pulled away so quickly. Magnus leaned in again and Alec did the same, looking back up into his eyes and kissing him with such fire he was sure that the bed was gong to burn. The whole place was going to burn. His body was going to burn. 

"Magnus," Alec's voice was hoarse as he swallowed, breathless from the kiss. 

Magnus chuckled, his own breath taken away. "You never cease to amaze me, Alexander."

Alec nodded, pupils dilated so much that only a rim of hazel could be seen. "What did I....what did I just do?"

Magnus held Alec's face between his hands. "You embraced your true feelings. Doesn't it feel wonderful? To finally let someone in?"

Alec took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah.....it does." He pulled away from Magnus and raised a shaky hand to his swollen face. "Why?"

Magnus was confused. "Why what?"

"Why me?"

"Why not you? You're smart. Good looking. A cop. Probably amazing at foreplay and don't even know it-"

"Foreplay?!" Alec's voice cracked. 

"We'll work our way into that. It's too soon to break out the fluffy pink handcuffs just yet," Magnus pushed a stray lock of raven black hair from Alec's forehead. "I liked you since the day we met, you know."

"You mean the day I arrested you?"

"Yup. It was the way you put the handcuffs on me with such power and confidence. It turned me on."

Alec choked back a laugh. "Wow. Okay. Um...I'm going to ignore that last bit and pretend it never left your mouth." He laughed but winced. "Ow. I shouldn't do that."

"No. You shouldn't. Laughing is bad for you. Especially when your face looks like Jabba the Hut."

"Once again. Wow. Okay. Rude. I knew you were lying when you said my face looked fine. Turns out all along I looked like the giant slug thing from Star Wars?"

"You put Jabba to shame, though. He doesn't have a beautiful exterior under his puffiness. He's trapped like that forever."

Alec laughed again. "Stop! It hurts to laugh!"

"I'm sorry! I'm not trying to!" Magnus smirked as Alec watched him with tired eyes. "You should get some rest. It's vital for the healing process."

Alec nodded. "I am feeling a bit tired."

Magnus pat his leg and stood up, heading to the couch for the second time. "Well then....sweet dreams, Alexander."

Alec bit his lip. "Magnus?"

"Yes?"

"Stay with me."

"I thought I was?"

"No. Stay with me," Alec looked down at the space next to him on the bed then back up at a surprised Magnus. 

"Oh. S-sure. Of course. If that's what you want...." Magnus crawled into bed next to Alec and sat up on his back as Alec stretched out comfortably. "You okay? Need another pillow or anything?"

"No. I'm okay. You?"

"Better than ever before."

"Good. I'm glad," Magnus looked around the room, nervously. "So...."

"So....." Alec fidget with one of his bandages. "Where do we go from here?"

Magnus looked down at him. "Anywhere you want. We can take it slow, if that's what you'd like. We don't even have to do that. We can just.....be."

Alec nodded. "Sure. Sounds like a plan."

Magnus immediately felt the atmosphere grow awkward again. "Want to go for drinks sometime?" He asked. 

"I don't drink, Magnus. You know this already."

"Oh, you don't have to get alcohol. Get a water. Or an apple juice-hey, get in one of those little kiddie sippy cups with the bendy straws," Magnus grinned as Alec shot him a look. "I'm kidding. We could just go for coffee....if that's what you'd like to do."

Alec gave him a crooked smile. "I'd like that. Coffee sounds great."

After a few minutes, Alec was softly snoring beside Magnus on the bed. It was an endearing little sound; soft little snorts coming from Alec's nose that reminded Magnus of the snores Chairman makes when he slept. Right now, Chairman was at the end of the bed, curled up into a ball near Alec's legs, sound asleep and purring loudly in content. 

Alec whimpered in his sleep, probably having a bad dream. Almost out of instinct, he grabbed Magnus' hand and held it tight as he kept on dreaming. Whatever it was, it was obviously scaring him. 

With a free hand, Magnus moved his fringe off his forehead and gave Alec's hand a reassuring squeeze. 

"It's okay. I'm here. It's just a dream, Alexander," he whispered. "It's just a dream."

Alec seemed to relax at the sound of his voice, his body visibly getting calmer. Magnus pulled the blanket up over them both and he too, fell asleep alongside Alec for the rest of the night, their fingers entwined the entire time.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So not a whole lot happening here but the end will build more onto the plot and (when the story is near the end) will have a twist. Enjoy!

For the first time in his life, Alec woke up to see someone beside him in bed. His fingers were curled around this stranger's hand and as he stretched them out, they were cramped and sore from being in the same position all night. 

Alec froze when he saw it was Magnus. The man was sound asleep in a very uncomfortable looking position; head turned to one side and his body at an odd angle. Carefully and quietly, Alec adjusted Magnus so that his body was more comfortable, disregarding his aching and throbbing body. His face didn't feel so bad though. It probably looked worse than it felt. Even if he couldn't really see out of his left eye, the pain wasn't as bad as it was last night. Magnus did a wonderful job tending to his injuries.

Chairman was perched on the end of the bed, licking his paws and rubbing them on his head. When Alec moved to sit up, he averted his attention to the movement of Alec's legs under the blanket. He meowed and pounced on them. He was playful this morning. 

"Ouch, Chair. That hurt. Quit digging your claws into me!" Alec hissed as he tried to avoid waking up Magnus. Chairman continued to paw at his legs before he picked the cat up and put it on the floor. Chairman shot him a glare before trotting off offended. 

"You know if you're trying to not wake me up, you're doing a terrible job," Magnus whispered in his sleep. 

Alec winced. "Sorry. Chairman was being annoying. I was going to go use the bathroom. Tried not to wake you up."

"Well you failed. Miserably, might I add." Magnus sat up and stretched his shoulders. "Looks like we slept through the entire night. You didn't make any moves on me, did you?"

Alec grumbled. "Gotta take a leak. Be right back."

In the kitchen, Magnus made oatmeal (which seemed like an appropriate meal for someone with a swollen face) and set the bowls down on the island. He heard the toilet flush and looked up to see Alec gently touching his face. "How are you feeling this morning? You look better."

"I don't feel better. My face looks like it got into a fight with a helium balloon and the balloon won," he scowled as Magnus howled with laughter. "It's not funny! It really fucking hurts!"

Magnus pulled out a chair for Alec and set a bowl of oatmeal in his spot. "Here. Eat this. I doubt you'll be able to chew solid foods with a face like that-I don't mean it in a harsh way. I meant it more in a concerned way."

Alec sat down and picked up his spoon. "We have to go to the Hotel Dumort today."

Magnus paused chewing. "And we have to go there.....because?"

Alec swallowed his mouthful before answering. "When Camille's goons dumped me in the alley, I overheard them say they had to check in with someone at the Dumort. Didn't get a name. I was unconscious by the time they dumped me."

Magnus was quiet for a moment. He stared at his bowl with a furrowed brow and it wasn't hard for Alec to tell that something was on his mind. "I am so sorry this happened to you. It should've been me. I should've went with you."

"Magnus, it's fine-"

"No, Alec. It's not fine. I pussied out on you and look what happened. You got the shit beat out of you. Like I said. It should've been me." Magnus frowned. Alec looked so in pain that it tore at his heart. "If you want to go to the Dumort, then I'll go with you. You'll need backup."

"My backup is usually Jace-"

"Then bring him along too. The more, the merrier. In fact, I'll text him right now," Magnus took out his phone and tapped away. "When's your shift?"

"Not until 10. It's 8 there now. I don't even feel like going, to be honest," Alec groaned. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm in too much pain to be at work today. Plus I have a lead I want to chase."

Magnus snorted. "Chasing a lead is technically still work. Just not in the office kind. You just don't want to face everyone at the precinct. No pun intended."

"I don't need a million questions thrown in my direction, Magnus. My dad would have me off the case as soon as he found out what really happened. What my dad doesn't know, won't kill him."

"So....in the event that someone asks what happened to your pretty face....what's the story going to be?"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know? Fell down some stairs? Bar fight?"

"Alec, you don't even drink."

"I don't know!" Alec threw his hands up in exasperation. "What do you think the story should be?"

Magnus stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The stairs one is good. It's believable. A big guy with legs like yours tripping down stairs? I'd believe it-don't give me that look. It's true."

"Yeah, well....you're probably right. Wouldn't be the first time I fell down the stairs. Jace would have a hundred stories for you. Isabelle too."

Magnus followed him to the bathroom. "Speaking of Isabelle....when do I get to meet your lovely family?"

Alec winced as he opened his mouth to brush his teeth. "Seriously? We're not even dating yet. And my family doesn't exactly know I'm...you know."

"Gay. Just say it."

Alec shook his head. "Like I said. They don't know. Introducing you would be a little awkward for all of us."

"How so? Introduce me as your coworker. They won't suspect a thing." Magnus leaned up against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. "Tell them it's just a friendly dinner to help ease the stress of the case. I'm sure they won't accuse you of anything if you say that."

Alec spit and laughed. "Why do you think my dad is the commissioner? He's good at getting the truth and sniffing out lies. He's going to know something is up eventually."

"Which is why I'm prepared to focus let soley on something else," Magnus winked. "Your sister."

"Excuse me?! What-my sister? Why?!"

"Um, because I can? I'm bisexual, Alec. I can flirt with girls just as well as I can with guys. Plus your sister enjoys the attention. They'll think I'm straight."

Alec leaned over the sink and moaned. "This isn't a good idea. Not at all."

"Oh, pffft. Don't be silly. I'd love to meet the Lightwood bunch! You said you had a little brother, right? How old is he?"

"Eleven."

"Perfect! I love kids! I'm great with them. They love my magic tricks."

Alec ignored Magnus as went on and on while gently washing his face. "I look like shit. I can't go out looking like this." He turned to look at Magnus. "Can your makeup artist skills fix a mess like this?"

Magnus' eyes widened. "You...you heard my story?"

Alec nodded. "Of course I did. I wasn't dead last night, you know. I could still hear you."

Magnus nodded. "Right. Right, uh...." He cleared his throat. "I can try but I don't think it'll work out too well...."

Alec threw his towel in the washer. "Fuck it. Just leave it. I'll just learn to deal with whatever people think of me when we're out in public."

Magnus took Alec's hand and squeezed it. "It shouldn't matter what other people think. It should only matter what you think."

Alec's hazel eyes looked down into Magnus', a sadness in them. "I wish it was that easy, Magnus. But it's not."

**********

The Hotel Dumort was famously known for its modern interior design and its elaborate attention to detail. According to Magnus it was, anyway. He stayed at the hotel once or twice (strictly business) and its services were impeccable. Even the food was top notch. 

Alec, on the other hand, had never stepped foot in the hotel building before. He'd heard it was pretty nice from Isabelle, who took a tour there when she was in high school and the business was just starting up. A friend of hers actually ran the hotel, which was pretty impressive for such a young person. 

"Hotel Dumort truly is a 21st century hotel. The interior is incredible. It even has a mix of rich history into it as well. Beautiful place. Gorgeous architecture. I highly recommend staying a night or two there," Magnus said as they made their way up the hotel front steps. "Business or pleasure, Dumort is there for good measure."

Alec laughed. "Is that their actual slogan?"

Magnus grinned. "No. But they should hire me to make slogans. That's another one of my many talents. Creating catchy slogans."

"Sure it is. Now listen. We need to keep things professional. Try not to draw attention-"

"Raphael Santiago!" Magnus cried out, yelling something in Spanish. "How are you, you son of a gun?!"

The young man standing by the front desk looked up and beamed. "Magnus! Long time no see!" This must've been Raphael. Alec knew that the young man was dating Simon, the guy in archives, but he never actually met him before. He was a good looking guy. Dark hair, tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes that were wide like a puppy's. He was broad and muscular but he was nowhere near the same height as Alec. "What brings you to Hotel Dumort? It's not often I see you here anymore."

Magnus chuckled. "I'm on vacation, if you want to call it that. My friend Alec and I decided to drop in. Show him around."

Raphael smiled at Alec. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Raphael."

"Alec," he shook Raphael's hand and smiled. "You're dating a friend of mine from the precinct. Simon."

"Simon! Ah yes. He mentioned you once or twice. Said you helped with the anniversary gift?" He reached into his shirt and pulled out a necklace. It was golden, shaped like a cross. "He knows I was raised a good Catholic. Plus I like anything that glitters." He stared at Alec for a moment. "If you don't mind me asking....what happened to your face? You look like you've seen better days."

Alec had completely forgotten about his swollen face up until now. "Uh....fell down some stairs. Got banged up pretty bad."

Raphael clicked his tongue. "Have to be careful on stairs. Simple as they may seem, they're deadly too."

A customer came up to him and he politely excused himself away from Alec and Magnus. 

"We need to check out the name I heard in the alley....see if it's someone who's staying here," Alec whispered. 

"Agreed. I'll distract Raphael and you check the hotel database."

"Isn't that illegal?"

Magnus shot him a look. "Aren't you a cop? What are you going to do, arrest yourself?" He scoffed at Alec's hesitancy. "Just go. I'll distract him. The computer is behind the counter. Password is warcraftlewis. Unless they changed it. Override it with lewiswarcraft."

Alec blinked. "I take it this isn't the first time you've done this."

"No. It really isn't. But don't tell anyone. I'd be in deep trouble with the law," Magnus winked and made his way over to Raphael, beginning a conversation and then walking away from the front desk.

It was Alec's turn to play his part. Once Magnus had disappeared around around the corner, he slipped behind the counter. The computer was right where Magnus said it would be. All he had to do was type in the password. 

"This better work," he grumbled. He typed in the password and the screen flashed green. Success. 

He scrolled through what he assumed to be the list of guests that were currently staying there. It was listed alphabetically so he went through them just to be sure. 

A name grabbed his attention as soon as he saw. Jotting it down quickly on a notepad next to him, he logged out as soon as he heard Magnus laughing loudly at something that probably wasn't even funny and made his way to the front of the desk again, pretending to look through the pamphlets on the desk. 

"Yeah, the artwork is really something. The lady we purchased it from is very talented. She's a friend of Simon's, I think. Longtime friend," Raphael said as he and Magnus approached Alec. 

"I've never met Simon before. Not that I can recall, anyway. So! Alec! What are you doing there? You're very interested in that pamphlet," Magnus winked and rest an elbow on Raphael's shoulder. 

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I'm just interested in this.....water aerobics flyer?" Alec flipped through it and forced a small laugh. "Yup....water aerobics. My secret passion."

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "Right. Well feel free to take a look around the place. Magnus can show you the ballroom and the pool area when you're ready. You have free reign of the place," a pager on his hip beeped. "Ah, dios mio. Trouble in the bar area again. The fountains haven't been working properly lately. Excuse me."

Alec let Raphael pass and waited until he was out of earshot before speaking. "I got the name. Room 237."

Magnus beamed. "You'd make a good criminal, Alexander. If the law enforcement doesn't work out-"

"I'm good, thanks. Let's just get this overwith."

On the sixth floor, they looked for room 237 which was the third last door on the right. They stopped in front of it, listening carefully outside in the hall. 

"I don't hear anything," Magnus whispered. "What if it's the wrong room?"

Alec shook his head. "It's not. The name and number are both right. I'm hardly ever wrong."

Magnus snorted. "Cocky. I like it."

Alec rolled his eyes as he knocked on the door. After a moment or two it opened, revealing a man in his late 30's with scruffy blonde hair and beard. His eyes were blue and wide with surprise as he saw Alec and Magnus standing in front of his door. 

Alec shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. "Hodge Starkweather. We have some questions we'd like to ask you."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

"Oh god. You're with Valentine. Aren't you? He's finally come to finish me off?" Hodge cried as he backed up into his room. 

"We're not with Valentine. I'm a cop. He's.....whatever he is," Alec said as Magnus gave him a subtle shrug. 

Hodge breathed out. "Shit. Really? Am I being put under protection?"

"Protection? For what?" Alec closed the door behind him. The room was clean aside for a bottle of tequila on the bedside table and a glass half filled with the amber liquid. "Why are you hiding from Valentine?"

Hodge sat down on the queen size bed. "I have my reasons. Besides, if I told you and anyone finds out....I'm definitely a dead man."

"We can keep a secret. Valentine or his nutjobs won't know you said a thing. Plus Alec here can get the protection you need. Right Alec?" Magnus looked at Alec, raising an eyebrow. He obviously didn't mean what he said. 

"Right. Definitely. I'll make sure you're well protected from Valentine's men. We just need you to answer a few questions that we have first."

Hodge nodded. "Sure. Okay. I'll answer them."

Magnus and Alec took a seat at the table across from the bed. Magnus even poured himself up some tequila and put his feet up on the bed. "My partner here will ask the questions. I'll observe and let him know if you're telling the truth or not. I'm Magnus, by the way. Magnus Bane."

"The nightclub owner? Pandemonium?"

"That's the one," Magnus winked, taking a sip of his drink. 

"You're not a cop too?" Hodge asked. 

"Nope. I'm his consultant. An expert in catching people in a lie," Magnus took another sip of tequila. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Alec cleared his throat, shooting Magnus a glare. "Why is Valentine so active lately? Nobody's heard from him in over a year. Why now?"

Hodge sighed. "He's searching for something. I've heard the name a few times from the other guys. He's looking for the cup."

"The cup," Alec repeated. "He's looking for a cup?"

"Not just any ordinary cup. It's an abbreviation. Centralized something something. It's huge. It's supposed to give you complete control of the city and everything in it. He's been sniffing it out for a while. Luckily someone is hiding it very well." Hodge poured himself up a glass of tequila. "It's a device that can be sold for a lot of money on the black market. But we all know he's not selling it."

"He wants to use it." Alec whispered. "But why are you hiding from him? What did you do?"

"I...." Hodge rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted out. I couldn't take it anymore. He was making us do all these kinds of crazy jobs. Like the other day, he made me go into a clothing store and warn the people inside that he ran this city."

The hair on Alec's arms and neck rose as the bullet wound on his side throbbed with the memory. "That was you?!"

"That-what? Were you there?!" Hodge's voice went up an octave. 

"Of course I was there. You fucking shot me! My own sister had to take the bullet out of me! My little sister!" Alec grabbed Hodge by the collar of the shirt, hauled him to his feet and slammed him against the wall. "I could shoot you right here. Right now. Give you a taste of your own medicine-"

"Please don't hurt me! Please! I have information! Valuable information!" Hodge began to sob. "I can help you! Point you in the right direction!"

Magnus stood up and laid a gentle hand on Alec's shoulder. "You're scaring him, Alexander. Maybe he can be of some use, but he's no good to us if he's in the hospital. Or dead."

Alec felt his stiffened muscles loosen under Magnus' touch. He released Hodge who was running his shoulder in pain from being pinned to the wall. "Fine. You'll tell us everything you know. If Magnus sees that you're lying, I'm arresting you for injuring an officer and for wielding an unregistered weapon in a public place. Now spill, Starkweather."

Magnus felt goosebumps rise on his arms as Alec used his authority voice. He was so ridiculously hot right now. If it was only the two of them in the room, he'd have Alec stripped naked and kissed him everywhere his lips would allow him. 

Hodge nodded. "You know about the CUP, obviously. What you don't know is that Valentine has people spying on him from the outside. He has a mole."

"A mole? Seriously? And he's not aware of this?"

"Nope. Bastard's ego is too big to see what's right in front of him. Info has been leaking out for two or so years now. Very important info. Highly classified."

Alec crossed his arms over his chest. "And no one went to the police with this?"

"And say what? 'Hi I'm undercover at Valentine's and I have information for you about a cup'? That's real smart for someone who wants to themselves and everyone around them killed. Real smart indeed." Hodge leaned forward, lowering his voice as he did so. "If you want real info that you won't get anywhere else, you'll need to talk to the Downworlders. They have eyes and ears everywhere."

"Downworlders. They're a gang, aren't they? They hang around the old church in Brooklyn. That's their territory. Downworld," Alec explained to Magnus. "They're pretty dangerous. Druggies, high school dropouts, criminals galore-"

Magnus raised a hand. "Oh you don't need to tell me who they are. I've seen them on the news once. One of them scalped a man. It was disgusting. How can we contact the Downworlders?" 

Hodge shook his head. "You don't contact them. They contact you. I'll send word that you're looking to speak with them and you'll hear from them once they approve your request. In fact, I'll do it right now....." He took out a phone and tapped a few times on the screen. "There. Done. You'll hear from someone soon."

Alec shrugged. "Fair enough. Was he lying, Magnus?"

"No. He's telling the truth."

"Excellent. Hodge Starkweather.....you're under arrest for shooting an officer as well as several other charges that will be pressed against you in the court of law. Anything you say or do can and may be used against you, so I highly advise you keep your mouth shut if you want to get out of this in the quickest way possible."

Hodge yelped as Alec turned him around against the wall, cuffing him. "What the fuck? I said I'd help you in exchange for protection!"

"And I stayed true to my word. Where you're going, you'll have lots of protection. Just behind bars," Alec gripped Hodge by the shoulder. "After you, Mr. Starkweather."

Hodge began to sob. "They'll kill me. HE WILL KILL ME!"

Magnus' eyes were the size of saucers when Alec cuffed Hodge and dragged him out to the elevator. "Alec! I didn't think you were going to arrest him anyway! Why?"

Alec sighed as he tapped the DOWN button. "He shot me, Magnus. And he scared an entire store by waving a gun around. This is justice."

"But you promised him protection-"

"The law is hard, but it is the law."

Magnus sighed heavily. The doors to the elevator opened and the three men stepped inside. "I trust you, Alec. And I hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I, Magnus. So do I."

**********

Hodge was now inside the interrogation room being questioned by Jace. Alec was in the control room listening in on the conversation alongside Magnus. 

"Jace doesn't seem to be asking the right questions...." Magnus whispered. 

"No one can hear us in here, Magnus. You don't have to whisper," Alec pointed out. 

"Sorry. I didn't know. But you agree with what I said, right? Jace isn't-"

"Jace is doing his best. I can't ask the questions. I can't show my face to the cameras. Too many questions will be asked. Plus I can't ask the questions. People are going to want to know how I got this information."

Magnus pressed his forehead to the glass. "Alec, people want to know how you even got this guy in the first place. I mean.....you went to his freakin' hotel room to get information. Information that's probably impossible to get unless you went into the beehive itself."

Alec stroked his chin. When he had brought Hodge in a half hour ago, his fellow cops gave him a strange look. They weren't looking at Hodge. They were looking at his swollen and bruised face. Nobody asked questions, thankfully. Nobody even stopped him to ask what happened or to see if he was okay. He was used to this by now. Four years in law enforcement never changed a bit. 

"Stay here. I'm going to question him too," Alec said as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. 

Magnus frowned. "But I thought-"

"Just stay here. I mean it. Don't come in that room or I'll arrest you too."

Jace looked over his shoulder as Alec came in. "Ah. You've met my partner Alec. He's the brains of the operation here. He usually does the questioning but he likes to throw a curveball every now and then. Wanna have a go?"

Alec grabbed Hodge by the collar and slammed him into the table. "Tell us where Valentine is."

"Dude! What the fuck!" Jace yelled. 

Hodge held his bleeding nose and began to cry again. "I don't know! I was always blindfolded when they brought me to wherever he was! I swear to god I don't know anything!"

Alec scoffed. "I don't believe you. I think you're hiding something."

"I'm not!" Hodge's voice cracked. "I swear to fucking god I don't know! Hardly anybody knew anything!"

"So you're saying somebody knew something?"

Hodge shrugged. "I don't know! Maybe? I was the lowest of the low when it came to the whole hierarchy. I was the bottom of the pyramid. I was practically scraping gum of their shoes!"

Alec looked at Jace, who was looking right back at him, his eyes seeming to say 'let me handle this, Alec' and Alec released Hodge from his grip immediately. "You better answer my partner truthfully. Every question. If I find you lied once-"

"I won't lie. I swear on the Bible. I'll answer every question truthfully," Hodge raised his hand, giving ale what looked like the number three with his fingers. "Scouts honour."

Alec scowled but said nothing as he left the room. Magnus was waiting in the hallway when he came out, fiddling with his jacket and mumbling. His expression changed almost immediately when he saw Alec approach. 

"So? How did it go? Did you scare the bejesus out of him like you do with everyone else?"

"I don't scare the bejesus out of everyone, Magnus."

"That sounds like something only a person who scares the bejesus out of everyone says."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Look, let's get out of here before we get stopped by anyone-"

"Alec. Do you have a moment?" A deep voice said. Alec knew this demanding voice. It belonged to his father. When he turned around, Robert was standing outside his office door. "It's important."

Alec nodded. "Of course, commissioner. Right away."

"Bring the con man too. I need to speak with him as well," Robert said before heading back inside his office.

Magnus beamed. "I feel so important right now. The commissioner wants to speak with me!"

Alec shook his head as he reached for the handle to his father's office. "Don't get too excited. When you're called into the commmisioner's office, it's usually never anything good."

Robert was seated behind his desk as they went inside. "Ah. Alexander. Mr. Bane. Please take a seat. I have something I need to discuss with you."

Alec took a seat. "Dad, whatever it is, I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be a leader. When I screw up, I expect to be punished-"

"Whoa. Slow down there, bud. You're not in trouble. That's not what I called you both in here for. Although I do want to know why your face is the color of the rainbow....." Robert eyed Alec's face carefully. "But first things first. Your mother is cooking a turkey dinner tonight and asked me to invite you both."

Alec's mouth went dry. This was exactly the sort of thing he wanted to avoid that involved Magnus. "Uh.....I-I don't....m-maybe.....I-"

"We would be most honored, Mr. Lightwood. Most honored indeed. Shall I bring along a dessert for after the meal?" Magnus spoke up, giving Alec's knee a slight squeeze from below the desk where Robert couldn't see. 

"That would be perfect. What kind of dessert? My wife can't eat anything high in fat. She's on one of those weird diets or another. I don't pay much attention," Robert rolled his eyes which made Magnus grin. He could see where Alec got it from. 

"I know a delicious recipe for a low fat, low sugar blueberry pie with a coconut glaze and a hint of lemon. My grandmother used to make it for me all the time when I was a kid. It's quite delicious."

Robert beamed. "It does, to be honest. It really does. I can't remember the last time I had a homemade pie. Maryse usually just buys the pre made ones at the store but that's not the same thing as something fresh out of the oven. It tastes so much better that way."

"I couldn't agree more, sir. Freshly cooked meals are the best served hot."

Robert and Magnus chuckled together, leaving Alec wondering what the hell was going on and what universe he stepped into when he came into the office. "Uh, we should get going. Magnus has to pick up ingredients if he wants to make that pie for later. I don't have any at home."

"Yes, Alec. That's true. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Lightwood-"

"Please. Call me Robert."

"Robert. Excellent. It was a pleasure, indeed. I can see where Alec gets his mannerisms and I mean that in the nicest way possible. And please. Call me Magnus. 

Robert laughed. "I underestimated you, Magnus. You're not at all what I thought you'd be. Not one bit."

Magnus smiled. "That means a lot, sir. It really does. Well I look forward to tonight and meeting the rest of the family. From what Alec told me, they sound quite amazing."

Robert turned pink around the ears. "My family is amazing. Thank you. And I look forward to learning more about you. Alec barely ever talks about work with me. He barely talks to me at all."

Alec sighed. "Commissioner, now is not the time or the place to be discussing our feelings. We'll talk later after dinner. Come on, Magnus. We have to get stuff for a pie."

Magnus waved as he was dragged along by the sleeve. "Bye Mr. Lightwood! I look forward to dinner!"

"Shut up! Jesus, you're making a racket! Everyone's staring at us!" Alec pulled Magnus around a corner and sighed. "What....the actual living hell was that back there?"

Magnus feigned surprise. "I'm not sure what you mean, dear Alexander. Please explain."

"You-you charmed my dad?! Right in front of me! Why didn't you just tell him that his son is gay and that he kissed you? Twice?!"

Magnus turned serious, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. "Because it's not my place to say. His son needs to say that for himself when he's ready."

A deep breath escaped Alec's lungs as he sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. For getting angry. You don't....my mother only calls family dinners when she has something to say about one of us. She makes a huge ordeal out of it. A spectacle, if you will."

Magnus placed a kind hand on Alec's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'll charm her too if it has to come to that," he winked, pleased that Alec smiled at his attempt to cheer him up. "Now come on. Let's go pick up stuff for a pie. This has to be the best pie I've ever made if I want to impress your family."

"Have you ever made a pie before?"

"No. Never. You think your father will be able to tell the difference between a store bought one and a freshly baked one?"


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm comparing my fanfic with others that are more popular and it's stressing me out so much. Trying to figure out how to make it better for everyone and that's only adding to the stress. Oh my. Can't win.

"You're a cook and you don't know how to make a pie?"

"There's a lot of things I don't know how to do but as far as I'm concerned, I know a hell of a lot more than what you do AND I'm holding a butter knife. Judge me again, Lightwood. Just try it." Magnus looked up from the box he set on the counter and glared at Alec. "Is there anything else you wish to add while you're just standing there?"

Alec raised in hands. "Sorry. I'll leave you to it, then. I have to shower anyway. I feel like crap."

"You look like it too but that can't really be fixed," Magnus said as he took out a pie pan from the cupboard. "Take your time. I'm just going to leave this pan out so I can heat up our premade pie later when it's almost time to go."

Alec chuckled. "My dad is going to know that's a premade pie, you know. He's not stupid."

"Never said he was. He'd much rather have this pie than a pie made by yours truly. It would be a disaster-go shower! For the love of god. Too many people in the kitchen...."

Alec rolled his eyes. Magnus reminded him of his mother whenever she was in the kitchen. She hated having people in there when she was trying to cook. She would almost bite the heads off anyone who set foot in the room while she was in there.

He went into the bathroom and closed the door behind him to prepare his shower. There was a system he used when he showered. Lather, wash, rinse, repeat. Twice for good measure and for a better smelling body. He never admitted this to anyone but he loved the smell of lavender soap and that's exactly what he used to wash himself. He smelled like a fresh garden when he stepped out of the hot shower. 

The hot water felt soothing on his cuts and bruises. Alec lathered up some body wash in his hand and rubbed it over his body; first his neck and shoulders, down over his chest and stomach, down to his-

He froze as he felt something brush up from behind him. A hand snaked around his waist and felt his abdomen and chest. 

"M-Magnus? What are you doing?" Alec croaked. 

Magnus said nothing as his hands explored up and down the entire length of Alec's body, giving him goosebumps regardless of the hot water pouring down them like rain. A small moan escapes Alec's throat as Magnus moved his hands down even lower-

"Alec! Where do you keep your cinnamon? I might sprinkle a bit on for an extra kick of flavor!" Magnus called out from the kitchen. 

Alec jumped in surprise, nearly slipping in the shower. The hands he felt on his body seconds ago disappeared but the after effect remained. "Uh.....try the cupboard above the fridge! Should be some there!" He groaned as he looked down at his hard on. It was throbbing with a giant pulse. 

"Got it! Does your dad like cinnamon?" Magnus yelled again. 

Alec swore under his breath as he switched to cold water to kill his boner. He shivered. "I don't know! Maybe? Just-just let me shower in peace!"

Once he was finished (and his dick was finally under control) he stepped out and dried himself off in record time. Magnus was sweeping the floor when he stepped back out into the kitchen again, humming a song. Chairman was watching him sweep, swatting a paw at the broom whenever it came near him. 

"I was starting to wonder if you slipped and went down the drain," Magnus chuckled. "Everything okay in there?"

Alec's mouth went dry thinking about Magnus feeling his body. "Y-yeah. Fine. Got soap in my eyes. Hurt like a bitch. But I'm fine. Is the pie done?"

"Done? I didn't do anything to it," Magnus said as he put away the broom. "I'm heating it up in the oven before we go. Give it that 'freshly baked' appeal to it. Plus a hint of cinnamon should do the trick. Your family will be tripping over their feet."

Alec tucked Chairman Meow under his arm and stroked his fur. "You've met everyone except for Max and my mother. Max is easy enough to please. It's my mom you have to worry about."

"Worry about? Why?"

"She's.....strict. Like very strict. She doesn't tolerate much-"

"Alexander. There hasn't been a soul yet on this earth that can resist my otherworldly charms. I'd be surprised if your mother can. Have faith in me. I'll break down those strict barriers of hers. Trust me."

That's not what I'm worried about, Alec thought. "I would love to see you try. My mom has the freaking Great Wall of China built around her emotions. You'll never get through."

Magnus winked. "Doesn't hurt to try."

Rolling his eyes, Alec went to his dresser and took out a neatly folded blue dress shirt. It was one he usually wore for family dinners, but now that he had new additions to his wardrobe, he didn't have to wear the same coat he normally wore. Or pants. Or shoes. He felt like a new person with this outfit. 

"Tell me. Does your mom like polyester or cotton? Vintage or more modern style? I simply can't decide what to wear. It's stressing me out!" Magnus was practically half inside his suitcase as he dug around for an outfit. "What does she like? Tell me."

"I don't know. Just arrive with clothes on, I guess. No one likes a naked guest. Why are you so concerned about what you're wearing?"

Magnus looked up. "I'm meeting your family, Alec. It's my one shot to make a good impression in case you decide to....you know."

Alec scoffed. "Come out? Yeah. No. That's not happening. Not tonight. Not if I can help it. Coming out to them would be like announcing Hitler was alive and was gathering recruits and I decided to join him and his ranks."

"That's a teeny bit dramatic, don't you think? Not to mention it's a terrible comparison."

"Well, it's true. The results would be disastrous. Hurricane Katrina disastrous."

Magnus waved a hand around in the air. "Okay. You're making awful comparisons with events that cost people their lives. I doubt your mom is going to kill you for coming out of the closet."

Alec shrugged as he buttoned up his dress shirt. "I don't know, Magnus. In this day and age? Anything is possible. I mean she knows about the Internet. She'll probably contact some local church group to come over and try to exorcise the gay demon out of me."

"The gay demon."

"Yes. The gay demon. Homocifer. Notorious for making your child want to suck the genitals of another child of the same gender-"

"Okay, you need to STOP. Right now. I don't have time to be listening to this when I need to pick out something to wear. Here's what I will tell you, however," Magnus flipped Alec around to face him and fixed all the buttons that weren't done up properly on Alec's shirt. "You'll be fine. You're going to go to that dinner and eat the shit out of that turkey and you're going to love it. You're going to smile and laugh at Isabelle's terrible jokes and I may even pull off a magic trick or two for the little one. But you will not, and I forbid you, have a shitty time. I won't allow it. The first sign of you becoming angry or stressed, we're leaving. And I don't care what Mama Lightwood says. We're gone."

Alec's mouth dropped open. "I can't just walk out on my own family-"

"Sure you can. My father did it. So why can't you?" This shut Alec up immediately. "We're going to be fine, Alexander. It's just dinner. Not a life or death situation." He pecked Alec on the lips and smiled. "Although if you ever wanted to try the exorcise the gay demon out of you, I have a priest on speed dial-"

"No! I'm fine!" Alec laughed and waved him off. "Get off me, you freak. I appreciate you fixing the buttons of my shirt but get off me anyway. Who the fuck has a priest on speed dial, anyway?"

Magnus shrugged. "Never know when you might need one."

**********

Alec rang the doorbell to his house, hearing it echo inside and giving him anxiety like he never experienced before. Breathing became difficult. He started to sweat. His vision was starting to go black around the edges. 

"Relax. You got this. It's just a family dinner, remember? No need to sweat about it. Literally in your case," Magnus looked Alec up and down. "No seriously. Water the lilacs while you're there. They look half dead."

"Shut up. I'm nervous. Just let me be nervous. It'll make me feel better."

Magnus shrugged. "Whatever floats your-"

The door opened and Isabelle stood in the doorway with a broad smile on her face. She wore a skintight red dress that hugged her skin and was dangerously low over her breasts, black heels and a snake bracelet around her wrist that complimented the silver buckle that held her long black hair back off her shoulders. 

"Well then. Look what the cat dragged in. Didn't think you'd show up, to be honest. Much less show up with him," she looked at Magnus and smirked. "Come in. Not sure why Alec rang the doorbell. This is his home."

"And a wonderful home it is. Love the lilacs, by the way. Very welcoming plant," Magnus beamed. "Also, the lawn looks beautifully manicured-"

"Okay, cut the shit. You've already won Isabelle over. You need to work on my mother and Max. Speaking of, where is Max?" Alec set down a bottle of wine on the dining room table as they walked into it. 

Magnus snorted. "Is he always like this? Crabby?"

"First born. Heavy is the head that wears the crown." Isabelle nodded to the room behind her. "Max. Living room. Reading a book on corrective eye surgery. I tried getting him to play Xbox like a normal kid but he insists on reading college level books. What a freak," Isabelle rolled her eyes. "I'll let mom and dad know you're here. Be right back."

Alec turned to see Magnus disappear around a corner towards the living room so he followed behind. Max looked up from his book once they stepped in, adjusting the pair of glasses on his nose, his sandy blonde hair a mess (like Alec's always was) and his blue eyes wide behind his glasses. 

"Hey Alec. What's up?" Max said. "Here for the family dinner too?"

"Yup. Are you?" Alec chuckled as Max shot him a look. "I'm kidding. What are you reading there, buddy? Izzy said it's a college level book. You're only 11."

Max shrugged. "Lots of kids read educational books that are meant for adults. If I want to be an optometrist, I might as well begin studying early so I'll be better prepared for university."

Alec peered at the book in Max's lap, seeing diagrams and long words that even he didn't quite understand. "You have a long way to go yet until university, kiddo. Why don't you focus on being a kid for now?"

Max ignored him and stared at Magnus instead. "Who are you?"

Magnus was busy looking at photos on the wall. He smiled at one in particular. Alec was standing behind Isabelle, his long arms wrapped around her, hugging her from behind. Another was of Alec standing on stage with a guitar in his hands. Alec played guitar? This was news to him. He didn't see any instruments laying around Alec's place. What caught his eye in every photo was the broad smile Alec had on his face. He rarely saw Alec smile like this. Done with looking at the photos, he finally turned to face Max. "I'm Magnus Bane. I work with your brother as a consultant-"

"You're the man my dad was talking about with my mom earlier. He said you were coming with Alec for dinner. Are you going to steal from us?"

Alec scoffed. "Max, don't be rude. Magnus is our guest. Plus if he did try to take anything, dad and I will arrest him. Won't we, Magnus?"

Magnus noticed Alec giving him a look. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. Both of your brothers already arrested me once. I don't plan on it happening again anytime soon."

Max smirked at this. "True. Jace and Alec are really good cops. They'll catch you right away."

"I'm sure they would," Magnus winked at Alec. "Do you like magic tricks? I have a trick I want to show you....."

Naturally, Magnus wowed Max with his magic. Just when he pulled a coin from Max's ear, a woman in a knee high black dress came into the room, heels clicking on the wooden floor. She had long black hair like Isabelle, and they had the same dark eyes. Her face was more serious, with red lipstick and contoured cheeks. 

She nodded to Alec. "Alexander. I haven't seen you in so long. What on earth happened to your face?"

"Mother," Alec got to his feet and leaned down a little, gently placed a kiss on his mother's cheek. "I'm fine. Just tripped down some stairs. Bruised myself up a bit. Mother, this is Magnus Bane. He's our special guest tonight that father invited. Magnus, this is my mother. Maryse."

Maryse glowered at Magnus. "Mr. Bane. I hope you'll be on your best behaviour tonight. No....conning your way in or out of anything. My husband better know what he's doing."

"Your husband is a smart man, Maryse. I'm sure he wouldn't let a criminal into your home if he knew it wasn't going to be safe," Magnus smiled as she glared at him. "I've brought a pie for dessert. Everyone loves pie, don't they?"

Robert peered around the corner and laughed. "Magnus! I thought that was you I heard! I also heard pie too. That's the magic summoning word."

Alec took a step back to let his father drape an arm around Magnus' shoulders, completely bypassing him. "Nice to see you too, dad. I'm good. Thanks for asking."

Magnus looked over his shoulder, sending Alec an apologetic shrug as they made their way into the dining room to set the table. Isabelle was already setting down plates and Max was close behind with the utensils. 

"Magnus, you'll sit next to Alec. Jace usually sits there but we'll make an exception for tonight," Maryse said. 

"Jace isn't coming?" Alec asked. "Why?"

"He's with Clary and her mother. Her mother is moving old boxes from the attic and needed their help. So he won't be with us tonight." Maryse set the last glass on the table. "Take a seat. Dinner will be ready soon."

Magnus clapped his hands. "I can't wait. I love tasting other people's cooking. Helps my palate."

"What's a palate?" Max asked. 

"A palate is an appreciation of taste and flavor, young man. When you have a large palate, that means you've tasted food from all over the world that varies in flavor. Do you have any interest in cooking?"

"The only cooking Max is interested in is the kind he can put in the microwave and heat up," Isabelle yelped as Max hit her arm. "Ow! It's true! Tell me I'm wrong!"

"Shut up....Magnus doesn't need to know that...." Max whined. "Dad, Isabelle's being a jerk-"

Robert raised a hand and Max fell silent. "I don't want to hear another word from either of you. Stop arguing. Your mother is bringing out the turkey."

Alec stared at the huge bird his mother laid out on the table. The turkey was huge. Huge legs, huge wings; the entire body was huge. "Wow. I didn't know we were having pterodactyl for dinner."

"You watch your tone and I won't feed you at all," Maryse snapped. "Now. Does anyone prefer white meat?"

They immediately dug into their meal which surprised Magnus. He was so used to saying grace when he was eating dinner with his mother that when the Lightwoods just dug in, he almost felt guilty. He sent a silent prayer up to the Lord and dug in himself. 

"Mm. This is delicious, Mrs. Lightwood. What seasoning did you use for the stuffing?" Magnus asked. 

Maryse cleared her throat. "Pepper and salt. I don't like to complicate my cooking with ridiculous ingredients like most people do nowadays."

Magnus raised an eyebrow and looked at Alec. Alec shrugged and shook his head. "Well it tastes fantas-"

"May I ask what kind of things you're criminally known for, Magnus Bane?"

Magnus looked at Maryse, startled. "Pardon me? What?"

"If you're some kind of pedophile or rapist, you might as well drop your fork now and get out of my home. I won't tolerate it."

Robert groaned. "Maryse. Max is sitting right there."

"It's okay, dad. I know what those two terms are," Max said and continued to eat his meal. 

"Mother, I don't think now is the time to be asking such questions...." Alec whispered. "Maybe we should wait until later?"

"I would like to know now, thank you. So? What is it that's had my husband in a tizzy for the past few years. You're a tough man to track down."

Magnus smirked. "I'm a con man. I trick people for a living. I also own the Pandemonium club."

"Didn't that close after when it was robbed? And who was the manager before you?" Isabelle butted in. 

"No, it didn't close. I simply paid people to come in and clean up the mess and it reopened again immediately. I'm not going to let a hostage situation ruin my business." Magnus leaned forward, looking Isabelle in the eye. "The owner before me was a man named Enoch. Stupid old fart. Fell for every word I said. It still blows my mind today how gullible he was-"

"I think that's enough for one night, Magnus. My mother got the answer she wanted. Isn't that right, mom?" Alec looked to Maryse for an answer but got none. "Right. So....when did Jace say he wasn't showing up? He never misses family dinner."

"He's found himself a nice girl, Alec. He's settling down. The lord knows we never expected it to happen but it did," Maryse took a sip of wine. "You should settle down too. Find a nice girl and make her happy."

"Good luck with that," Isabelle mumbled. No one heard her except for Alec. 

Alec glared at her from across the table. "I'm fine on my own, mother. I'm very focused on the job right now. Big case and all."

"Jace seems to be doing alright handling both his social life and work life. You should try it too," Maryse didn't look up at him once as she cut into her baked potato. 

Alec closed his eyes. "Mom-"

"Jace was always so much better at handling everyday tasks. That boy could juggle life like there was no tomorrow. He's so much more outgoing and social and knows when there's a job to be done-"

"I'M NOT JACE!"

The room went dead silent. Even Max stopped chewing and stared at Alec in shock. Robert had both eyebrows raised. Maryse had turned a deathly pale. Isabelle smiled broadly. Magnus was unreadable. 

"Excuse me? Don't you dare yell at me! I'm your mother!" Maryse shot back. 

"And I'm not Jace! Stop comparing me to him! All my life you've been comparing us! You clearly prefer him over me seeing how you're constantly criticizing me for the things that he can do and I can't! Well guess what? I'm sick and tired of it! I'm tired of sitting here and constantly taking shit from you! I don't have to take this anymore!"

Magnus watched as Alec got to his feet, nearly flipping the table over in the process, and grabbed his jacket that was hanging from the coat rack by the front door. "Um....thanks for the dinner, Lightwood family. It was delicious. Enjoy the pie."

Alec was about to stomp out the door when he paused, turning to look at Magnus. Magnus shrugged as if to say "what?" but didn't say anything out loud. "That reminds me. Mom? I'll tell you why I can't settle down or find a nice girl like Jace."

He grabbed Magnus by the shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. He didn't even hear his mother gasp audibly. Or his father drop his fork in surprise. He didn't even hear Isabelle cheer. All he heard was the rush of blood in his ears as his heart slammed against his chest. Magnus was just as surprised. Clearly, he wasn't expected to be kissed in front of everyone. Especially not like this. 

Alec pulled away, his hazel eyes shining and a smirk on his face. He turned to Maryse, the smirk still on his face. 

"That's why I can't find a nice girl. I'm fucking gay."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

"I have to ask this because if I don't, it'll be burning a hole in my mind for the rest of the evening. What the hell was that back there?"

Alec tapped his fingers on the steering wheel with one hand while resting his head on the other, elbow propped against the window. They were parked in an empty parking lot outside a grocery store and it had begun to rain heavily. "I got angry. My mother tends to do that sometimes. It just took me all this time to finally say something to her."

Magnus sighed. "I'm proud of you. Just so you know. Now you can finally be yourself." He laughed and rubbed his lower lip with a finger. "I have to hand it to you, Alexander. You certainly know how to make a statement."

Alec looked over at him. "I'm the same person I always was. Now everything's just out in the open." He sighed heavily. "God, I wish it was under different circumstances. That's not exactly how I planned on coming out to my family."

"I've yet to meet someone who's successfully planned the way they wanted to come out to their family, Alec. It almost never goes as planned. The main thing is that you did it. That's a weight lifted off your shoulders." Magnus took Alec's knee and gave it a squeeze. "Don't you feel better now that you did?"

"Not really. My parents probably hate me."

"They don't hate you. You're their son. They can't hate you-"

"Your dad hated you."

Magnus flinched. "Ouch. Harsh."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean....I didn't mean it like that, Magnus. I'm just so scared right now....I'm scared I just ruined the rest of my life."

Magnus' heart clenched as Alec began to cry, forehead resting against the steering wheel. Undoing his seatbelt, he climbed over and slid over on top of Alec so that a knee rest on either side of the seat and his back was against the wheel. He held the sides of Alec's face and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "Please don't cry, Alexander. I hate to see you cry."

Alec sniffed. "I haven't cried since I was ten years old."

Magnus wiped another tear that fell down Alec's cheek. "And you don't have to cry now. I'm here. You're not alone."

Alec's heart soared when Magnus leaned in and kissed him; his life suddenly burst into colors whereas before it was black and white with occasional shades of gray. Magnus gave him rainbows and sunshine and was everything bright and beautiful. He didn't feel scared when he was with Magnus. He didn't feel alone. He didn't have to try and be someone else. He was free. 

"Mmm. Magnus...." Alec moaned as he gripped Magnus' sides. 

"What?" Magnus rasped. "I'm a little busy here."

Alec giggled as Magnus moved his lips to suck on the left side of his neck. "Magnus. Please. You're vibrating."

"I'm what? Oh. That's my phone." Magnus reached into his pants pocket and pulled it out. "It's an unknown number."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Text or phone call?"

"Text. It says 'meet me at the old abandoned church in New York. You know which one'."

Alec shook his head. "It sounds too suspicious. Ignore it."

"We can't ignore it, Alec. What if it's the message from the Downworlders that we're expecting? We have to go there. This could be our one chance to get some answers."

Alec sighed heavily. "Fine. But we're finishing where we left off when we get back home."

Magnus smirked as he slid back into the passenger seat. "If you say so. Are you sure? If you're uncomfortable-"

"I'll let you know if something is making me uncomfortable. Don't worry. I'm vocal."

"Oh I'm sure you are," Magnus cackled as Alec glared at him. "I'm kidding! Why so serious, Pretty Boy?"

Alec started his car and clicked on his seatbelt. "I've got a job to do. That's why I'm so serious."

They pulled out of the empty lot and drove straight to the church where Alec was dumped and left for dead. The church still looked creepy as ever, quite possibly even more creepy due to the fact more windows were broken and the front entrance was open. 

"I got a bad feeling about this...." Alec whispered. "Can't they reschedule at a later date? Preferably during the daytime when it doesn't look so dark and creepy?"

"Since when were you afraid of the dark? I thought you were big and strong and brave," Magnus got out of the car, his foot crunching down on an empty beer can. 

"Not until recently when I was beat up and left here for the rats to nibble on. I was in and out of unconsciousness. I....saw things," Alec cleared his throat. "Who's meeting us?"

Magnus shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

They waited for several minutes in silence, listening to cars passing on the road and to stray cats fighting in the alleyway just behind them. No one else seemed to be around aside from a homeless man walking along with a cart. 

"Maybe it was a trick? To see if we'd actually show up?" Alec asked. 

"No. This isn't a trick. It's a test."

".....a test? Of what? How long we can stand here before we lose our patience?"

"Close. It's a test to see if you're willing to stay as long as it takes in order to get the information you need."

Alec and Magnus jumped at the voice, Alec taking out his gun and taking aim. Behind them, in the entranceway leading into the church, stood a tall man with damp dark hair and a trench coat that fell just short of his ankles. He wore fingerless gloves and carried a cane in front of him as he walked towards Alec and Magnus. As he drew nearer, Alec could see his eyes were a dark brown. He seemed to be a bit older; in his early or mid 40's. 

"Magnus Bane. I didn't know you were working with the police now. How times have changed," the man smirked. He had an English accent. 

"Ragnor Fell. I should've known. What kind of shit did you get yourself mixed up with this time?" Magnus eyed Ragnor. "Is that my coat you're wearing? It's missing a button-that's my coat!"

Ragnor looked down at the coat. "Ah. Yes, I suppose it is. I borrowed it-"

"You stole it, you lying bastard."

"Stole it? Not a term I'd use but fine. Whatever makes you happy." He turned to look at Alec. "Who's this lad? Don't think we've met before."

"We haven't. I'm Alec. Detective Alec Lightwood," Alec shook Ragnor's hand, trying to ignore how dirty and greasy it felt. "Are you the one who sent the text to met us here?"

"Good gracious, no. I avoid cellphones and most technology. It all gives you cancer at the end of the day. Besides. We have people to all that stuff," Ragnor tapped his cane against his forehead. "You look oddly familiar, Detective Lightwood. Are you sure we haven't met before?"

Alec shrugged. "Maybe I arrested you once? Your file said you're known for-"

"I know what my files say. I was there. But has it ever occurred to you that perhaps I was drunk for a reason?"

"You-what? Huh?" Alec scratched his stubble and groaned. "Listen. We don't have time to be confused right now. One of your contacts said you'd have information about Valentine and the-"

"Shhh! Not out here! You never know who's listening...." Ragnor ushered them into the church and closed the doors behind them. "Come. Follow me. We have information that no one else knows about."

Magnus giggled. "Take us to your leader," he said in a deep voice before giggling again. He stopped when Alec shot him a look. "Sorry. Couldn't resist. Not very often I get to say that."

They were led down into what seemed like the crypt of the abandoned church. The only bit of light they had were from lamps hanging from the ceiling of the underground tunnel as they were led further and further into the crypt. Alec ran his fingers over his fingers over names of the deceased that were sketched into the stone walls as they walked. Herondale. Whitelaw. Goldwell. There were all kinds of names written on the walls. 

"What is this place?" He asked Ragnor. 

Ragnor paused to look back at him. "It's a crypt. Right now we're underneath the graveyard, if I recall correctly. Under a tomb that also leads down here. Downworlders call this place the City of Bones. Families bury their dead down. Or they used to."

Magnus shuddered as they passed a skeleton. "Used to? What happened?"

"No one knows. Perhaps they ran out of space down here? There's a lot of death in the world these days. It's hard to keep up with it. Nowadays we Downworlders live here. Home sweet home." Ragnor pointed to the fork in the tunnel. "Straight ahead is the throne room. Our leader would like to meet with you."

Alec led the way, feeling oddly brave despite the fact that the walls were now line with skulls with gaping faces that made it seem like they were smirking at him. It felt like walking through a haunted house except none of the props were fake. This was the real deal. 

"Witchlight," Magnus whispered. 

Alec looked at him. "Witchlight?"

Magnus flicked one of the lamps with a finger. "Witchlight. That's what people of New York call these things. Have you ever looked out your window at night and saw a floating light down in the streets?"

Witchlight in the streets below....Alec couldn't recall ever seeing these lights on the sidewalks outside his home. "No. I've never seen them before. Do they mean anything?"

"No. People just call them that because they look like ghost lights. Or witch lights. Beautiful but scary at the same time," Magnus walked under one of the lights and for a moment, Alec swore he saw Magnus' eyes shift into cat eyes. 

The tunnel finally ended and opened up into a wide, spacious room. At the back of it stood a large chair and two smaller ones beside it. Seated in the large chair was a young woman with dark blue hair and piercing blue eyes that watched both men as they approached where she was seated. She smiled softly at them. 

"Hi. I'm Catarina. Catarina Loss. Leader of the Downworlders. What can I do for you?" Her voice was soft but commanding as she spoke. 

"Uh....I'm Alec. Alec Lightwood. This is Magnus Bane. We're with the NYPD-"

"He is. I'm not. I'm a consultant for the case. He's the cop," Magnus pat Alec on the back. "You have information that we need to stop Valentine."

Catarina leaned forward in her seat. "Valentine. He's a force to be reckoned with. What makes you think we can help you?"

Alec straightened his back, making himself taller beside Magnus. "Because if you don't, innocent people will get hurt. People will lose their jobs. Some may even get killed. You don't want their blood on your hands, do you?"

Catarina eyed Alec carefully before sighing. "Fine. If it's information you require, then it's information you'll get. Ragnor?"

Ragnor stepped out from the shadows. "Yes, milady?"

"Get me the statistics for last month. And a beer too. Do you gentleman want a beer?" Alec and Magnus shook their heads and muttered under the breath. "Just one beer then. And the stats. Make it quick."

Ragnor bowed and left the tunnel through an adjoining room. 

"Who told you about the Downworld? I doubt you heard of it on the street. Nobody dares to speak of us," Catarina said. 

Alec flicked his gaze to the floor. "Hodge Starkweather. He contacted one of you and then we got the text to meet someone here."

"Ah. Hodge. The fool who couldn't keep his mouth shut," Catarina chuckled. "Had to go into hiding, that one. Came here and pleaded with me for sanctuary. Bawled like a baby when I threw him back out on the streets. But scum like him deserve what's coming. He betrayed both sides."

"He was playing both you and Valentine?" Magnus asked. He was now seated on a stool with his legs crossed and from the look on his face, he seemed genuinely surprised by this. 

Catarina nodded. "Unfortunately. He's like that asshole on Big Brother who thinks he can get away with playing all sides of the game."

"I'm sorry. Big Brother?" Alec raised an eyebrow. 

"The tv show? Where people compete for a five hundred thousand dollar grand prize? Honestly, what rock have you been living under to not know what it is?" Catarina rolled her eyes. "Anyway. I still haven't decided whether or not it was a dumb move sending you both here. Cops or not."

Alec crossed his arms over his chest, taking a seat next to Magnus. "Hodge mentioned something about a cup? Or CUP? What is that, exactly?"

Ragnor came back with papers in his hands as well as a beer bottle. "This CUP is the one thing that bring the city to its knees. Valentine can't lay a hand on it. If he does, we're all doomed."

Catarina rolled her eyes again. "Ragnor. This isn't the damn apocalypse. The CUP is short for Centrailized Utilization Program. Basically it can access literally everything in the city. Social security numbers, bank accounts, medical records. You name it, the CUP can get it."

"So this is how Valentine plans on getting rich....er. Stealing from innocent people?!" Magnus exclaimed. 

"Isn't that what you've been doing, Magnus? I've been keeping my eye on you, handsome. You're stealing too. Just not in an abrasive way," Catarina winked at him. "Now. The stats. I've had my people out patrolling the streets for quite some time now. They've been noticing things that regular people like you don't tend to watch for."

"Regular people?" Alec asked, speaking the same time as Magnus who said "Like what?"

Catarina held up a newspaper article. It had Valentine on the front as well as Camille. "Remember this issue of the New York Times? Well, you wouldn't. Someone actually did find out the scandal between our lovely mayor and Valentine. It didn't even hit stands yet before it got pulled. One of my people got a copy before they put a recall on it. No one knows about this at all."

Alec took the magazine and looked at it. The photo on the front showed Camille kissing Valentine in front of her office building. "Why haven't you gone to the police about this?"

"And say what? Do what? Cops aren't exactly nice to us homeless folk. We're seen as a disease scouring the streets for money and food and a place to live. Don't deny it, Lightwood. You know it's true. I know who your father is. He put Ragnor on the street himself."

Alec swallowed hard. "No. My father is a kind man. He wouldn't do anything like that. Ever."

Catarina rose from her chair and approached Alec, gripping his chin and tilting his head back and forced him to look her in the eye. "Why don't you ask your daddy about The Circle? He'd know a hell of a lot more than I would. Same with your mother."

Alec winced as she squeezed his bruised face with a strong hand. "The Circle? What is that?"

Before anyone could answer, screams ran out inside the tunnels. Gunfire followed, then more screams. 

Ragnor gripped Catalina's shoulder. "Valentine's men. They found us. Or they found them," he hissed, looking at Alec and Magnus. "We need to go. Now."

Catarina looked at Alec a final time. "Ask your father what The Circle is. He can tell you a lot more than I can."

Alec's face was released and he jumped to his feet, Magnus close behind. He found it strange that Magnus was so quiet while Catarina spoke. "Where can we find the CUP? Before it falls into the wrong hands?"

Catarina looked back over her shoulder at him. "It's fascinating when people see different things when they look at art, isn't it? It's a matter of perspective."

Alec stared at her, stunned. Gunfire roused him out of his confusion again and he and Magnus followed the crowd of Downwordlers out through the tunnels, regardless if they knew where they were going or not. 

Finally they burst through the heavy double doors of the tomb Ragnor had mentioned earlier. The night air was cool and fresh, nothing compared to the thick air down inside the tunnels. There was enough light around them to see people running in all directions, some wounded and some not. 

"Alec. We have to go home before one of us gets hurt," Magnus said. "We can't be seen here."

"Yeah. Let's go. I don't want to get shot again."

"And I don't feel like getting blood on my new shirt either. Let's go."

**********

Alec collapsed into his bed. Exhausted wasn't even the word he'd even use to describe what his mind and body were feeling right now. His head throbbed. His face throbbed. His wound throbbed. His entire body was a giant throb. 

"That was quite a night. Never a dull moment when people are with you, huh?" Magnus chuckled as he opened up a beer. "At least we got some information, anyway. It wasn't a total bust."

"It was a bust, Magnus. Catarina didn't give us shit all to work with. And what the fuck did she mean by ask my father about a Circle? What does a shape have to do with anything?" Alec slapped the bed with a hand. "Jesus! Nothing is getting any easier! Just when we think we got a lead, we're left with a billion more questions!"

Magnus sighed. "We don't have to ask right now. Let's go to bed. It's late. We both had a crazy night."

Alec shook his head. "No. No. I'm going to to my parent's and ask about this Circle. I have to."

"Alec-Alec! Listen to me!" Magnus quickly reached into his suitcase and pulled out something pink. "Don't make me do this!"

"I have to go-let me go!" Alec was pushed to the bed, with Magnus on top of him and an arm cuffed to the headboard with a pair of fluffy pink handcuffs. "What the....you weren't joking about the handcuffs, were you?"

Magnus closed his eyes, smiling. "Nope. I didn't think I'd ever have to use them like this either. They're mainly used for....other purposes."

"Let me guess. Foreplay?"

"No one likes a hater, Pretty Boy. Don't knock it til you've tried it...." Magnus leaned forward and moved his tongue in circles on Alec's neck. Pleasure went through his entire body as Alec moaned low in his throat, tilting his head back even more. "You thought I was lying about the cuffs?"

Alec groaned as Magnus sucked on his collarbone. "Ugh, no. I just didn't think you brought them with you. Why?"

"Why what? Why did I bring them?" Magnus chuckled. "Well you know how it is. I thought to myself 'my goodness I might need these cuffs sometime to stop a 6'3 gorgeous cop from doing something reckless and stupid' and turns out I was right."

Alec laughed. "Okay. Fine. You win. Now uncuff me."

"No. You'll overpower me with your gigantasaur body and leave anyway, regardless of what I say. Now you're going to stay here, cuffed to this bed until morning where your head will be cleared a little and you're able to think straight. Or are you too fucking gay to think straight?"

Alec bucked his hips and hoped Magnus would fall off, but he didn't budge. "Fuck you, Magnus. If I lose an arm because of this-"

"Oh please. Don't be so dramatic. You're cuffed to the bed with fluffy pink handcuffs, for Christ sake. This will be a story to tell the kids one day."

Alec looked at him. "What kids?"

Magnus shrugged. "I don't know. I don't see the future. Now shut up and go to sleep. We'll visit your father in the morning. Let's hope you still have your arm by then." Alec flipped him the finger. "Oh look. His fingers still work. How lovely."

"Screw you, Magnus."

Magnus winked. "One day, Pretty Boy. One day."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing Ragnor's dialogue for this chapter. I might incorporate him in later chapters because he's too much fun to let go. Same with Catarina. 
> 
> The plot twist I have planned for this story will blow the socks right off you. Can't wait for you to see it!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt that Robert needed a say as to what happened at the family dinner. It also felt important for Alec to know that one of his parents support him in coming out. Hope you enjoy it :)

His phone rang twice before he picked it up. 

"What is it now?" He grumbled. 

"Sir. It's regarding the raid. There's been some.....complications."

He rolled his eyes. "What kind of complications?"

"Well, some of the Downworlders escaped. And there were two cops there as well."

The chair creaked as he quickly leaned forward. "Did you see their faces?"

"No sir. But we know one was really tall with black hair. He wasn't alone. The other man he was with was a little bit shorter and with dark hair. Didn't see their faces. We just know that one was a cop."

Once again, the chair he was sitting in squeaked as he rose to his feet to look out the window. "Did you see where they went?"

"No sir. It was pretty crazy with all the gunfire and the crazy homeless people running around like chickens with their heads cut off."

He sighed. "Very well. Keep tabs on the Downworlders. Those cops might go back to them for more information. If they do.....you know what to do."

"Right, sir. Of course. I'll call if there's any further information."

"Of course you will. You know what will happen if you don't." He hung up the phone and yelled, throwing the phone against the wall in frustration. Sitting back down into the old leather chair, he felt the silver ring on his left hand, a large letter M in the center of it. 

**********

The entire precinct was decorated when Alec went in the next morning. Turns out, his promotion ceremony was today (with no heads up at all about it) and he didn't even have a speech prepared. He'd seen tons of cops at ceremonies with his father as a kid. Words were exchanged, a new badge was given, then the person getting the promotion says a few words themselves.

"What's with the decorations? Someone's birthday?" Magnus tapped a balloon floating beside Alec's desk with a finger. 

"Magnus. Honestly. How many birthdays have you been to that had a banner that said 'Congrats On Your Promotion'?"

Magnus shrugged. "I've seen worse. Went to a funeral with a banner that said 'Life Is Beautiful! It's A Girl!'"

Alec rolled his eyes. "You're not helping. Although that is pretty funny. God rest that person's soul, but that is funny."

Jace collapsed in his chair across from Alec. He didn't look overly pleased about the ceremony interfering with work. "Did dad tell you the ceremony was today at dinner last night?"

Alec scoffed. "Dad and I didn't exactly get around to talking much."

"Shit. That doesn't sound good. What happened? More drama? Izzy drop out of school?"

"No," Alec shook his head. "I.....came out last night."

Jace was quiet for a moment. "How'd they take it?"

Alec looked up at their father's office window and saw Robert looking out at him. As soon as he made eye contact, Robert quickly looked away and closed the shades in the window. "Not well, judging by how he can't even look me in the eye. He must hate me. Mom too."

Jace frowned and pat him on the leg. "I, for one, am very proud of you. Fuck what other people think. Your siblings got your back, big bro. Don't let anyone else try to bring you down because I'll take them down."

Alec smiled broadly and blushed. "T-thanks, Jace. That means a lot to me. I just wish they felt the same way."

"Give mom and dad time. They'll come around. They can't hate you over something like this, Alec. You're their child. You're the tallest sixth grader I've ever met."

Alec laughed. "Gee. That makes me feel so much more insecure about my height."

"Who's insecure? Who are we talking about?" Magnus came over to their desks holding a tray of coffees. "Are we talking about what went down last night? Because let me tell you....no offence but your mom is a real piece of work. Almost slapped a bitch last night. Ugh. Never saw anyone so stuck up in my entire life and I thought my dad was awful. Pffft. Nope."

"At least she didn't disown you or anything...." Jace sipped his coffee. "That would've been bad."

"It wouldn't surprise me if she's writing up her Will right now and leaving me out of it. Is there even a paper you have to sign to disown someone? I don't know how that works. Izzy would know more about it than I would." Alec groaned and leaned back in his chair. "My life is shittier than a toilet full of shit right now. It can't get any worse."

Magnus have him a reassuring pat. "I'm sure it'll get better. But I'll spare you the whole 'It Gets Better' speech. Most of it isn't true anyway. Change of topic for a moment. When is this ceremony beginning? I hate ceremonies."

Jace checked his watch. "At two. It's after 11 now. Didn't dad tell you this?"

"Jace. I told you already that we didn't exactly talk last night. Not after I kissed Magnus in defiance towards mom-"

"You kissed Magnus? Seriously?" Jace looked at Magnus for the truth. "For real?"

"Why, you jealous?" Magnus purred. "But yes. We did smooch. Your mom looked like she saw a ghost."

Jace breathed out a laugh. "I'm so pissed that I missed this. Damn Clary's mom for making me move boxes. Think you could act out the kiss again?"

Alec choked. "No! Jace! What the fuck? Do you have a fetish or something? You like seeing dudes kiss other dudes?"

"No. I just want to see my brother finally become comfortable in his own skin for once in his life."

Alec was at a loss for words, but he got lucky when a group of men in familiar outfits entered the room. Every cop stopped to stare, even Magnus. The young woman in the front of the group wore dark sunglasses and had long blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun. 

"Who's in charge here?" She called out. "I'd like to speak to the person in charge please. I hope somebody knows."

Feeling oddly brave, Alec stepped up. "I'm the son of the man in charge. I'm a detective. Can I help you with something?"

The woman peered up at him through the top of her sunglasses. "Detective Alec Lightwood, I presume. I've read your file. You're quite...colorful."

Magnus coughed to cover up a laugh. 

"Your father called in yesterday and requested my assistance. So here I am. Where is the Commissioner?"

Alec crossed his arms over his chest. "Who are you exactly? I need to see some credentials."

The woman chuckled. "Your file mentioned that you were thorough. I'm glad you're proving it right." She pulled out a wallet and flipped it open. "I'm Agent Lydia Branwell, FBI. I've been sent here to help clean up the Morgenstern case."

"But that's my case. My partner and I were assigned to that case-"

"And to be honest, Detective, you're not getting the job done as quickly as we'd like you to. This case needs to be closed. Like yesterday. Now can I speak to your father if it's not too much trouble?"

Alec scowled but said nothing as he led her to his father's office. Once she was inside and the door and shades were closed, he went back over to his desk and sat in his chair so hard it made a noise that sounded as if it were going to collapse under him. 

"FBI, huh? Since when the NYPD call in there for favors?" Jace whispered. 

"Never. That's just dad not trusting us with the job. Either that or he's doing this to spite me...." Throwing his coffee into the garbage bin beside his desk, Alec grabbed his coat in a hurry. "I'm out of here. I'll just grab my new badge on the way out-"

Jace grabbed his shirt. "Like fuck you are. I'm not doing this alone. You're not leaving me, Alec. We're in this together. We're partners. We made a vow to protect each other-"

"It's a promotion ceremony, Jace. Not a wedding."

"Still. You can't just leave me. What would dad say to that?"

"I agree with Jace on this one," Magnus chimed. "You can't just run away with your tail tucked between your legs whenever things get tough. You got to man up."

"Says the man wearing glitter," Jace said. 

Magnus leaned in closer to Jace. "I will smother you in your sleep with a pillow, Jace Wayland. You will die surrounded by a sea of glitter."

Alec stepped between them, unable to take anymore. "Guys! Fine! I'll go to the ceremony! But as soon as it's over, I'm researching the CUP. I need to find out more about it. Catarina didn't exactly give us a whole lot of info to go by."

Jace's face was screwed up in confusion. "You're googling a cup? Why?"

"Not a cup, you moron. The CUP. Abbreviation for Centralized Utilization Program." Magnus looked around as if he were looking to see if anyone was listening in. "I don't think this is the best place to talk about it. After the ceremony and you boys get your Boy Scout badges, let's head back to Alec's to discuss it further. It's safest there."

Alec nodded. "I agree. We don't know who could be listening in here...."

The three men glanced around the room suspiciously. From a first glance, it seemed as if everyone had their own thing to do and what Jace, Alec and Magnus were talking about seemed like the last thing they wanted to worry about or focus on which in this case was a good thing for the three men.

"We should probably get a quick speech ready for the ceremony. I hate winging it," Alec whispered. 

"I love it. No one expects you to show up and say something off the top of your head," Jace kicked his feet up on his desk as he sat down. "Besides. It's kinda my thing."

"We all have our things. Don't we, Alec?" Magnus winked and laughed as Alec turned red in the ears. "I can help you write your speeches, if you want. I'm good with words."

Jace shook his head. "I'll politely decline. Knowing you, you'll write something that's actually a spell and turn everyone into toads."

"Shit. Busted. What shall I do now that my evil plan is thwarted?" Magnus' voice was thick with sarcasm. "Are you two even capable of writing a heartwarming speech in two hours?"

"Alec can. He wrote his entire English exam in less than an hour and scored the highest possible mark in our graduating class." Jace shrugged. "The entire Lightwood clan is smart in some form or another. I'm not smart like they are. I'm just the stray they took in."

Alec shot him a cold look. "You were never a stray." 

Jace returned the look. "Whatever. Let's just figure something out. I just want this over with so I can get back to my job."

Luck was on their side. Just when they were finishing up their speeches, one of the deputies called them into the conference room to get ready for the ceremony. The room was already crowded (and it was a fairly large room) and amongst the crowd was Agent Lydia Branwell. She was speaking to the Commissioner in a low voice when the men stepped into the room and took a seat behind the podium and Magnus took a seat in the audience. 

"What's she doing here? She's not even from this precinct," Alec hissed. 

Jace shrugged. "Beats me. Now shut up. They're starting."

Robert Lightwood stepped up to the podium and cleared his throat. "My fellow law enforcers. My friends. My family. We're gathered here today to celebrate two of our own as they progress through the difficult life of a cop. These two are thick as thieves," he paused as the audience chuckled. "They're brothers in more ways than one. They grew up together. They're closer than any other partners you'll see here under his roof. I'm glad to call them my sons and I'm so proud of the men they've grown into today. So to honor them, I'm presenting them their Detective's badge to show that they're now officially Detectives."

Alec watched as his father reached into a small wooden box and took out two small, shiny badges. Beside him, Jace was bouncing with excitement and was about ready to dive in and grab his badge, but Alec held him back by the sleeve. 

"Jace Lightwood. I'm proud of you, kiddo. To be completely honest, your mother and I didn't think you were even going to get through high school-" Jace snorted at this. "But yet here you are. A handsome, strong young man. You go above and beyond to protect both the people you love and the people around you. You deserve this, bud. Congratulations."

The audience cheered and clapped as Jace went up to get his badge, grinning proudly as Robert handed it to him and shook his hand, giving him the stage for his speech. 

"I'll make this short. I was going to streak through the room just like I did on my high school graduation, but I decided not to. I know. I'm denying you all this," he indicated his body and a few people wolf whistled. "But I just wanted to say thank you so much. I realize I'm not the greatest cop. I don't listen most of the time. But I don't do it to spite anyone. I do it because sometimes you have to do the wrong thing in order to make a right." He looked out into the audience, who was dead silent as he spoke. "And that's it! Thank you! Drinks are on me at Pandemonium tonight!"

The audience cheered again as Robert approached the podium again. Alec felt his palms getting sweaty. He didn't know what to expect from his father speech wise. It could go either way. 

"My oldest son always followed the rules and played by the book. Not once in his life did he ever step out of line. He loves to please people..." Robert paused. Alec heard him take a shaky breath. "He loves to please people so much that he doesn't take the time to stop and think about his own happiness. He constantly puts others before himself and that's the best characteristic a cop could ever have. I'm beyond proud of my first born. No words can even describe how proud I am. With that being said....Alexander Lightwood."

Alec wiped his palms in his jeans and got to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. When he stood beside his father, he could see in his father's eyes that he meant every word he said. The badge lay in Robert's outstretched hand. All he had to do was take it...

"Alexander. I am so proud of you. Regardless of everything....I love you. No matter what. Don't you ever forget that. Understood?" Robert took a shaky breath and looked Alec in the eyes. 

"Yes, sir. 10-4," Alec nodded. He could feel the tears threatening to escape down his face the longer he stood there and stared at his father. 

Robert cleared his throat. "Is there anything you'd like to say while you're up here?"

Alec thought about it. "No. I've said everything I needed to say last night."

Robert nodded. "Okay. Fair enough. I respect that." He turned the podium again. "That concludes our ceremony. Now get back to work. Crime doesn't stop for nobody."

The room was filled with the shuffle of feet and charter as everyone cleared out, including Jace. Once everyone was gone, Magnus made his way over to Alec and embraced him. 

"Oh, Detective! I can say that now and it's official! How does it feel?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with joy. 

"Good. Really good. No more uniform. That's a plus," Alec chuckled. He smiled and turned to see Robert approaching him. "Dad. I mean, Commissioner-"

"Alec. No one's here. Call me dad," Robert gave him a small smile and glanced at Magnus. "So....how long has this been going on? Are you two in love?"

Alec sputtered. "Love? What? No." He nervously squeezed his fingers. "No. It's....uh....it's sort of a different-"

"It's all very new," Magnus chimed in, smiling. 

Robert glanced between them. "Right. Okay then. So....right. I should get back to work." He turned to head towards the door when he paused. "Promise me you'll both stay safe?"

"Dad!" Alec exclaimed. "Now isn't the time-"

"I know. But if I don't say it now then I probably never will," he pat Alec on the shoulder. "Stay safe. Both of you. Break my son's heart and I'll have you in jail for so long you'll never see the light of day again." 

Magnus flinched. "I won't. I promise."

Robert nodded and turned to look at Alec. "You should visit your mom when you can. Talk to her." He silently went back out into the hall towards his office, leaving Alec and Magnus alone in the room. 

"Wow. That was something else. Maybe your father doesn't feel the same way your mother does? He actually supports you and your homosexual demon?" Magnus giggled. 

"Yeah. That was something else...it almost sounded like that's what he wanted to say last night but couldn't." Alec sighed. "I guess we'll never know. My dad isn't one for sharing feelings. Never was."

Magnus frowned. "I think he shared more than his feelings today, Alec. He bared his heart out to you. It was his way of telling you that he's proud without actually revealing the real reason why."

Alec nodded, unable to respond when Jace poked his head into the room. 

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked. 

"Maybe. Probably. I don't know-what do you want, Jace?" Alec snapped. 

Jace scowled. "Jesus. Sorry. Grumpy....anyway, there's a guy here looking for you. He's weird as fuck. English dude by the name of Ragnor. Isn't he the one who streaked naked that one time? He was drunk?"

Magnus rolled his eyes as Alec spoke. "That's the one. What does he want us for?"

"Dunno. Said to meet him in the alley in the back. Didn't say what for. Need backup?"

Alec shook his head. "We're good. Magnus and I talked to him last night. He probably just has more information for us."

Jace nodded. "Okay. Holler if you need me."

Magnus followed close behind Alec as they made their way to the back alleyway behind the precinct. "Is this wise? Being seen in broad daylight with a Downworlder? We could get caught by Valentine's men."

Alec put his gun in the holster attached to the belt around his waist. "We'll be fine, Magnus. Trust me. We'll be fine."

Magnus nodded. He sure hoped Alec was right. 

Because he couldn't afford to be wrong.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

"Finally. I was wondering what was taking you both so bloody long. Stopped to compare gun sizes? Boast whose handcuffs gets the job done?" Ragnor took a puff of a cigarette just as Alec and Magnus stepped into the alleyway where he waited. "Escaped unscathed, I see. No boo boos?"

"Shut up. Why are we out here and not inside?" Alec coughed and waved away the smoke that floated in the air. 

"Can't smoke in there. Figured it was better out here than in there. Plus the lads in there don't really fancy me after causing a ruckus a few years back when they arrested me for....what's the term? Inappropriate nudity? Is there an appropriate nudity I can go by?"

Magnus snatched the cigarette out of Ragnor's hand and tossed it. "Look. If you have more information, spit it out. We don't have all day."

A horn honked, making Ragnor jump. "Catarina was injured during the shooting last night. She would've came here to share this nice little tidbit of information, so she sent me instead to tell you."

"Is she okay? How badly injured is she?" Alec asked. 

Ragnor shook his head. "It's not good but it's not bad either. Her shoulder is pretty busted. Nothing our people can't handle-"

"Your people aren't qualified to help with such an injury like that, Ragnor. Give me the location of where she is and I'll call for an ambulance. I'll even pay her hospital bill," Alec took out his phone, but Ragnor's hand on his wrist stopped him from dialling. "Ragnor....please. Let me help."

"I appreciate the gesture, Alec. You're a sweet boy. But this is Downworlder affairs and I highly doubt any of your fellow officers in that big, bad building of yours will lend a hand to over a hundred homeless people who are in Valentine's crosshairs."

Alec said nothing. He wanted to help. He wanted to help so bad and it was going against every fiber in his body to move out of Ragnor's grasp and call for help....but not knowing where Catarina was didn't help the situation. There were a million places for the Downworlders to hide in Brooklyn, New York and the surrounding areas. They'd be searching for months. Months is something that the injured Downworlders more than likely didn't have.

"Okay. If you say she's alright, then I believe you. But I can't let you leave here without giving us more information," Alec crossed his arms over his chest. "So spill. What's so important that you couldn't tell us inside?"

Ragnor smiled, revealing stained teeth. "I told you. I can't smoke inside-"

He yelped as Magnus grabbed him the front of his shirt and pinned him against the chain link fence. "Listen," Magnus hissed. "I'm having a very bad day. My hair wouldn't go the way I wanted it this morning. The coffee tastes like shit today AND I have a hole in my favorite pants and I didn't bring my damn sewing kit with me. So don't piss me off."

Ragnor was breathing heavily when Magnus finished speaking. "Alright. Calm down. I'll tell you something extremely important but you have to do something for me in return."

Alec sighed. "Fine. What is it?"

"I'm out of booze."

Magnus snorted. "Of course you are. Isn't booze what got you on the streets in the first place?"

"No," Ragnor's voice grew serious. "You know what got me on the streets, Bane. Or who got me on the streets. Alcohol had nothing to do with it in this case. So do you want to know what information I have for you or not? Or am I wasting my bloody time standing here talking to you dumb sods?"

Alec and Magnus looked at each other. Alec spoke first. "We're listening."

Ragnor leaned in closer to them. The smell of liquor and cigarette smoke nearly made them vomit in disgust. "You've got a mole in your precinct."

Alec stared at him. "How the hell do you know that?"

"I just do. Info's been leaking out from your precinct for months now. This stuff is highly classified, highly personal and highly pricey. Someone in there is making more than their fair share of yearly wages for a cop."

"Wouldn't someone notice that info was getting leaked?" Alec asked. 

"I dunno. You're the detective. You tell me," Ragnor lit another cigarette. "Find the leak and you'll find the mole. That's all I can really say."

"How do we know the mole isn't you?" Magnus pinned him to the fence again. His blood was boiling at this point in the conversation. They weren't getting anywhere. 

Ragnor laughed. "Me? The mole? That's a good one. First off, I'd either have to work there or be arrested 24/7 to actually be able to get decent intel and leak it. I'm rarely in there these days. You can call me a month clean if you'd like."

Magnus shook his head. "You wish. Secondly?" 

"Secondly, why would I be a mole for Valentine when he's the one who put me on the streets in the first place? Seems a bit rash, don't you think?"

He had a point. Ragnor had nothing to gain by giving Valentine classified police information. Aside from the fact that Ragnor was an obvious alcoholic, Valentine didn't strike them as the type to take back trash he threw out on the curb. He was smarter than that. 

"This mole....hypothetically speaking. How much time do we have to catch them?" Alec asked. 

"Hypothetically? I can't give you an estimate, but I doubt you've got very long until this pesky little mole will sniff out exactly what it is they're looking for." Ragnor threw the rest of his cigarette on the ground, stepping on it. "I'd call the exterminators if I were you. Flush them out while you can. Best of luck to you boys."

Whistling a jolly tune, Ragnor left Alec and Magnus alone in the alley with his words fresh on their minds. 

"What do we do now?" Magnus kicked a cigarette stub with the tip of his shoe. "I'm not familiar with moles from this side of things. It's a whole different perspective."

Alec sighed heavily. His mind was filled with questions and he had no idea where to go from here. "Let's just keep focusing on the case for now. Whatever pops up, we'll handle one at a time. No sense in getting stressed over nothing."

"Oh, I can't handle stress well. Makes my complexion all weird...." Magnus pat his face with a hand. "I don't know how you do it. Coming here everyday knowing that you could get hurt or have to see some really rough shit."

Alec shrugged. "I don't think about it much. I do it because I love it and I love helping people. Protecting them. Stress is a part of the job. It's what I signed up for."

Magnus clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Why couldn't you be a pizza delivery boy? Or a hairdresser?"

"And give into the whole 'all gays are hairdressers' stereotype? No thanks. I'm good," Alec kicked a garbage bin as he walked by it. "I can be gay and be a cop at the same time. There's no rule against it."

"Didn't say there was, Pretty Boy. Shouldn't affect the way you work anyway. A cop is a cop-" Magnus froze in place, staring ahead. "Who else has access to that extended database at your place?"

Alec stopped to look back at him. "Uh....just me. And Izzy of course. She's the one who-" Alec frowned. "You're not saying....you're not accusing my sister of being the mole, are you? She'd never do something like this. She's one of the good guys!"

"Relax! Jesus, don't give yourself a hernia. I'm not saying she is the mole. I'm saying she could be. At this point, everyone in this damn building is a suspect. Even us."

Alec snorted. "Why us? We've been together constantly for the last few days. I know you're not the mole."

"Aw. Thank you. Your trust in me warms the very cockles of my heart. We went from 'You're under arrest' to 'I know you're not the mole'. Our relationship has progressed so far since that day."

"Come on. Don't be-don't be like that. We don't have a....relationship," Alec let his gaze wander everywhere but on Magnus. "Let's keep our eyes and ears open for any suspicious activity. We can't let any more stuff get out from this building."

Magnus nodded. "10-4, Detective. And how do you propose we do that? We can't be here 24/7. As much as I love being around gorgeous looking law enforcers...."

Alec looked up when Jace stepped through the doors to the porch where they stood. When he saw Alec and Magnus standing there, he grinned like an idiot and clapped Alec on the shoulder playfully. 

"I was wondering where you guys went. Making out in the porch. Didn't see that one coming," he laughed. "Did you talk to Ragnor?"

Alec nodded, his shoulder stinging from Jace's brotherly pat. "Yeah. He didn't say much. Too busy smoking and tried to get us to buy him alcohol."

Jace laughed. "Typical. What did he say to you?"

Magnus nudged Alec with an elbow and shook his head. Alec knew what this meant. It was a 'don't say a word' nudge. 

"Uh....he was drunk. Nothing he said made much sense. Something about Broadway and dancing under the full moon." Alec forced a smile and returned the brotherly pat to Jace. "Don't worry, bro. I got this. We're going to kick this case in the ass."

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Right. Right, we are. Speaking of the case, I got a lead I need to follow. Anonymous caller gave me the address to Valentine's last known location. Gonna go check it out and see what's up."

Magnus didn't believe Jace for a second. There was something in his eyes that screamed for him to run the other way. Not to trust him. But Alec couldn't see what Magnus saw. All he saw was his little brother getting ready to follow a lead on the most important case of their lives. Magnus saw anything but that. "Alec, I need to speak-"

"Need backup?" Alec interrupted. 

Jace beamed. "Hell yeah! I could always use some backup. You're the only cop who mouths off to my music taste."

Alec smirked. "True. So you kind of need me for this little trip, don't you?"

Jace slipped on his jacket. "My music isn't gonna mouth off to itself."

He laughed and pushed through the big metal doors that led to the front of the building. Magnus stared as the doors closed. There was something about Jace that seemed a little off. Something wasn't right. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked once Alec had ran back to his desk to grab his car keys. "I got a really bad feeling about this. And I don't mean the Chinese food has gone rotten in the fridge kind of bad either."

"Relax. Jace and I used to do this all the time before we met you. We sat in the squad car. Ate take out. Listened to his shitty music to the point where I thought I was going insane. It's fun....for the most part."

Magnus gripped Alec's wrist. "Alec....please listen to me when I say this. Be careful of what you say around Jace. Around anybody for that matter."

Alec's brows scrunched together in confusion. "You think Jace is the mole? But he's my brother-"

"Brothers betray. Blood doesn't always link people together. Betrayal often runs thicker than blood."

Alec wrenched his wrist out of Magnus' grip and scoffed. "Jace is my brother. He wouldn't betray me like that. He wouldn't betray his coworkers like that-"

Magnus raised a hand, cutting him off. "If anything were to happen to you-"

"Magnus. I'm good. Jace isn't the mole. I know him. I've known him practically my whole life. He isn't stupid like that."

"I'm just saying be careful-"

"No. You be careful. Talk shit about my brother again and I won't hesitate to throw you behind bars again. Now come on. Jace is waiting for us outside."

Magnus frowned as Alec pushed through the metal doors, the hinges creaking loudly and sounding oddly like the way his heart sank at the sight of Alec turning his back on him. 

Nonetheless, he followed Alec outside towards where Jace was parked. Who else was going to make sure these two idiots didn't get themselves into more trouble than they already were?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dang there's a mole! At this point, pretty much everyone is a suspect. Who is the mole? You'll have to read on and fight out!


	19. Chapter Nineteen

No one told Alec that the person Jace had gotten the anonymous call from said that there was something in an old abandoned construction lot worth investigating. In fact, no one told Alec anything the entire drive to the lot. Jace was silent, humming to a song on the radio. Magnus sat in the backseat with his arms crossed, not looking one bit pleased with this road trip. 

"What did the caller say, anyway?" Alec asked. "You never told me what they said."

Jace shrugged. "Honestly? They didn't say much. All they said was I might want to check out the old lot next to the Verlac Halfway House. Then they hung up."

"And you just.....decided to check out something that could be potentially dangerous?"

Jace smirked. "My middle name is Dangerous, Alec. I live for this. Anonymous callers don't scare me. Plus there's a 50/50 chance that we could get something useful out of this."

Magnus snorted from the backseat. "The only thing you're going to get out of this is an ass kicking. Whoever it is that called in with this 'tip' is more than likely a part of Valentine's crew looking to beat the shit out of you like they did with Alec-" 

From the side view mirror, Alec saw Magnus clamp a hand over his mouth. Jace had slammed on the brakes just when they pulled up into the lot, and the three of them went forward in their seats. 

"Valentine's men did what?! You mean to tell me that his men are responsible for your bruised up face?" Jace yelled, his face turning purple with anger. 

"Not Valentine directly....I was at a meeting with the mayor when it happened....her men did this."

"Still. I'll fucking kill whoever did this to you. Why didn't you tell me the day it happened?"

Magnus tapped Jace on the shoulder. "You tracked him. Remember? I found him practically dead in an alley by the abandoned church. I brought him home and cleaned him up. There wasn't time to call anyone. He needed help and fast too."

A muscle twitched Jace's jaw. He was angry at both Alec and Magnus for not telling him this. "Whatever. Fuck the both of you. I don't appreciate being lied to and this just....get out. We're here."

Alec looked back at Magnus as Jace slammed the car door when he got out. Magnus said nothing but offer him a small sigh and a shrug.

The building wasn't even completed construction wise. The beams high above them were bare and the second story floor had holes in the ceiling with tarps blowing around in the wind. The concrete floor was dusty; Alec kept coughing as they walked around, kicking up dust. 

"I'm pretty sure just by being here we're breaking a dozen health hazard laws," Magnus coughed. "I can't even breathe. You sure the caller didn't just want us to come here and cough ourselves to death?"

"I'm pretty sure, Magnus. Here. I came prepared." Jace handed them masks that covered their mouth and nose. They put them on immediately. "I'm not stupid, you know. I know this is a construction zone. Safety first."

"No one said you were stupid, Jace...." Alec craned his neck and looked up at the ceiling. "What do you think they were building here at the time?"

Jace kicked an empty can with his foot. "I heard it was a convenience store but that's been the rumor for a while-"

"Hardware store."

Jace and Alec turned to look at Magnus. He was examining a hammer that he had picked up off the ground. He looked somewhat fascinated by it. 

"And how do you know that?" Alec asked. 

"Hmm?" Magnus looked up at them. "Oh. I googled it just then. I'm connected to wifi here."

Jace took out his own phone. "How is that even possible? This building isn't even completed. It can't be hooked up to Internet. It needs walls. Cables. Electricity-"

"Jace. Magnus is right. There's wifi here," To prove it, Alec held up his phone for Jace to see. "I just connected to it. Three bars too. It's a strong connection."

"But where's it coming from is the question," Magnus tapped on the metal pole next to him. "Here wifi, wifi, wifi....."

"Maybe it's from the building next door? I'll go ask," Jace jumped over a fallen beam on the ground and made his way to the building beside the lot. 

Alec sighed heavily. "Look at us. We went from chasing criminals to chasing wifi signals. This is pathetic."

"Most people would kill to chase wifi signals, Alec. How often do you find a place with free wifi?" Magnus bent down and wiped at the dirt with a hand. "Do you think Jace is pissed at you for not telling him the truth?"

"Jace is pissed at everyone. But yeah...I think he's mad that I didn't tell him what really happened that night. He would've acted irrationally if I did." Alec kicked at the dirt with his shoe. "Jace acts before he thinks. Like that time we snuck into Pandemonium to free the hostages. He didn't think about the consequences-"

Magnus looked up to see why Alec had stopped talking. The detective was staring at something on the ground in front of them. "Alec? What's wrong? What is it?"

Alec knelt down and swiped the dirt by his foot away. "It's a cable. Or a wire. Whatever you want to call it."

"Where does it lead?"

"I don't know, Magnus. I literally just found it. You expect me to know everything as soon as we discover something? Jesus...." Alec lift the wire with a finger. "It must lead somewhere. Should we follow it?"

"Stupid question for a detective, don't you think?" Magnus got to his feet. "Follow it. But if it leads somewhere that can permanently ruin my shoes, I'm not going one step further. This is genuine Italian leather. Very expensive and hard to come by."

Alec scowled. Following the wire was easy enough; Alec held it in both hands as he pulled it up from the ground and walked towards its source. He only stopped when the wire wouldn't come up from the ground any further. "It ends here."

Magnus gave it a tug. "What do you mean it ends here?"

"I mean it ends here. It's like it won't come up any further because it goes deeper underground." Alec dropped the wire and looked around. "There has to be a way under the lot. The wire goes underground. We have to find a way to get there so we can learn where it goes."

Jace appeared next to them, breathless. "Guys. The neighbors next door said they have no idea where the wifi is coming from, but judging from their tone they're not complaining. Who doesn't love free wifi?"

"Hear, hear," Magnus muttered. "While you were gone, Alec found a wire that leads underground. Any idea where we can gain entrance to the underworld?"

Jace picked up the wire with a finger. "I think I might. Follow me, gentleman."

They followed Jace a few feet away from the construction zone. He bent down to lift a manhole, grunting as he did so. Taking a glow stick from his pocket, he cracked it and threw it down the hole which lit up the darkness down below. 

"What's that smell?" Magnus gagged. "Oh. God. That's a-yeah, that's a sewer. That's a no go zone for me."

"Very observant, Mr. Bane. It is a sewer. Are you afraid you'll ruin your shoes?" Jace snarled. 

"Yes. Yes, I am. I was just telling Alec that my shoes are expensive Italian leather. Not your regular pair of shoes you'd find at Sportschek. Yours on the other hand...." Magnus looked down at Jace's feet. "Walmart?"

Alec grabbed Jace before his brother could lunge at Magnus. "There's no time for this crap right now. Brawl it out later. We need to find out where the wire goes and where it comes from. Both are more important than arguing over shoes." 

Alec went down the ladder first. When his feet hit the ground, the smell nearly knocked him out. He couldn't see more than a few feet ahead of him so he clicked on his flashlight to light the way. 

"What's down there?" Jace yelled from above. 

"It's filled with cotton candy and rainbows and unicorns. It's a damn sewer, Jace. What else do you think is down here?" Alec coughed. "Come on down. It smells lovely."

Jace snorted and looked at Magnus. "Ladies first."

Magnus smirked. "That's very biphobic of you, Jonathan. Age before beauty."

Jace scowled but made his way down the ladder. "Aren't you coming with us?"

Magnus shook his head. "Like I said. This is a no go zone. I'll catch you on the flip side."

"Suit yourself. Alec! Mr. Italian Leather up here doesn't want to ruin his shoes so he'll catch up with us a bit."

Alec was already halfway down the tunnel when he heard Jace shout to him. "Yeah sure! Whatever! Just hurry up!"

Jace caught up with him, his own flashlight giving the tunnel more light along with Alec's. It's was your typical New York sewer; rats, foreign objects that fell from the grates above (such as gum, money, keys), and waste. 

"Ugh. I might never get the smell of this shit off my body even if I took a hundred showers. Who the fuck has an internet cable running down into the sewers?" Jace gagged and spit. 

"Alligators probably. They probably wanted to see if there were any hot single gators under 30 in their area," Alec flinched as a rat scampered past him. 

"Do you think there's really alligators in the sewers? Because you got me kinda scared now...." Jace whispered. He had put a hand on his gun for safety measures. 

"It's just a story, Jace. There's no such thing as alligators in the-"

Something moved up ahead in the darkness. Both men shone their lights in the direction of the noise. As far as they could tell, there wasn't anything there. A few rats squeaked and ran from the light, but that wasn't what they heard. 

"That sounded pretty big," Jace gulped. 

"I swear, if you mention an alligator one more time-"

Running footsteps echoed through the tunnel. As if they read each other's minds, Jace and Alec ran after the source of the noise. Water splashed into their faces (as much as they tried not to kick up so much sewer water) nearly making them stop to vomit from the smell. 

"Dead end," Jace gasped for air, spitting up water that went in his mouth. "I think I just swallowed some poop. Ugh. I'm gonna puke...."

"It's not a dead end. There's a light to the left. Can you see it?" Alec shone his flashlight in the direction of the light he saw. "It looks like a light from a tv screen or a computer."

They approached the source of the light, guns ready in case they had to defend themselves. The light turned out to be not one computer screen but several all hooked up together. Every one of them had a different website opened on them. 

"The precinct. The hospital. The bank-what the hell is this?" Jace tapped one of the screens. 

"It looks like the websites of all the major buildings in New York. Like the login pages but more....more...."

"Sophisticated. It's not the login pages, Alec. This is the buildings themselves. The program's the employees use to access data. Someone is trying to hack into them."

You've got a mole in your precinct

Ragnor's words echoed in Alec's mind. Was the mole working from here? Nobody ever suspects a sewer, much less computers and wifi hooked up down in the sewers. Whoever the mole was....they were sneaky and resourceful. 

"Remember I said Ragnor didn't say much when we questioned him?" Alec whispered. 

Jace nodded. "Let me guess. That was a lie too?"

"Yeah. And I'm sorry, Jace. I really am. But what he told Magnus and I....well we can't really trust anyone at the moment."

"Alec. You know you can trust me. I'm your brother. Your partner in justice. Your faithful and loyal supporter. What did Ragnor say to you?"

Alec took a deep breath and sighed. "He said we had a mole in the precinct."

Jace frowned. "A mole? Seriously? How does he know this?"

"That's exactly what we asked him but he wouldn't say. He just claimed that he wasn't the mole. Pretty much told us that we couldn't trust anyone in the building. Not even you." Alec pat Jace on the shoulder. "But I trust you with my life. I know you're not the mole. You wouldn't betray our family like that."

Jace smiled softly. "That means a lot to me, bro. It really does."

More footsteps interrupted their brotherly bonding moment. This time, it was heading back to where they came down from. Chasing the sound together, Jace and Alec ran back to the ladder and quickly climbed up. Magnus was nowhere to be found (typical). 

"Where the fuck did they go?" Jace gasped for fresh air. 

"Try that alleyway and I'll try this one. They couldn't have gone far," Alec raced off in the opposite direction of Jace. His alley came to a dead end. Sighing in defeat, he turned around to go back to the abandoned lot when he heard a yell from Jace's direction. Heart thundering in his ears, he followed the yell. 

Magnus was standing beside an unconscious Jace while gripping someone in his arms. The hooded figure struggled and strained against his grip, unable to break free. 

"Jace! Are you okay?" Alec dropped to his knees and checked for a pulse. "What happened? Is he going to be okay?"

Magnus shrugged. "I don't know. Does he normally lay there without moving like that?" He rolled his eyes when Alec shot him a look. "He's fine. Our little speedster here hit him in the face with a garbage bin cover. Feisty, aren't you?"

Alec reached up and pulled down the stranger's hood. Long dark brown hair flowed out from their hoodie and a pair of piercing gray eyes glared back at him. Almost immediately, Magnus let go and stared at the figure in shock. 

"What the.....I thought you were dead!" He exclaimed. 

Alec looked at him. "You know this girl?"

"Of course I know her. She's one of my oldest friends. I'd never forget a face like that." Magnus embraced the young woman in his arms, and she returned the hug. 

"Long time no see, Bane. I see you've made yourself some new friends," her voice was soft and sweet as she spoke, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at Magnus. 

Magnus smiled down at her. "Yes it has. Indeed it has, Tessa Gray."


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news! I decided to make this a trilogy! *cheers* Arrested will now be part of a trilogy! I'm in the process of planning out the second story (or book or whatever you want to call it). I'm very excited to start writing it and I hope you will read that as well!

"Let me guess. You're the anonymous caller?" Jace asked Tessa. 

"I am. I couldn't think of any other way to get you guys to come down here without arousing suspicion. So calling in anonymously was the best I could come up with," Tessa closed the manhole cover with a grunt. "You saw what was down there, right? All those computers? And the major corporate websites?"

"Yeah. What was all that?" Alec stood next to her. She was so small and delicate, but her personality was commanding; she had a presence about her that Alec admired. 

"That....is one of Valentine's many command stations that he'll use once he gets his hands on the CUP. Plug it in to one of the stations and he'll have access to anything he wants in the city." Tessa looked over her shoulder as she spoke. She seemed nervous about something. 

Magnus gently touched her elbow. "Tess? What's wrong?"

Tessa pulled her hood back up over her face. "I've been being watched the past couple days. Valentine's men know I've been paying close attention to them lately. Unfortunately, I've fallen under their radar."

"We can protect you. Alec and Jace are fantastic cops. If I'm not dead yet, then that says a lot," Magnus pointed at the two detectives and nodded enthusiastically. "Trust me. These guys are the ones you want by your side during times like these."

"Why are you watching them anyway? What's your interest in Valentine?" Alec asked her. 

Tessa craned her neck to look up at him. She hated feeling small. "I have a beef with Valentine. He has someone I love held captive. This was the easiest way I could think that could lead me to him."

Jace sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Come with us. We'll put 24 hour surveillance outside your house-"

"I'm homeless," Tessa almost whispered. "I'm homeless. I used to live in the Downworlder headquarters but the place was raided by Valentine's men the other night. I lost everything I had....which wasn't a whole lot."

Alec frowned and glanced at Magnus, who looked angry more than anything else. "I'll take you home with me. You'll be safe there. No one suspects a cop to live up in a crappy old loft."

"Beats living underground like ants," Tessa offered him a small smile. "I appreciate the offer but I don't want to risk getting you or your friends and family killed. I'll be fine on my own."

"Tess......don't do this. Come with us. We'll protect you from Valentine's men-" Magnus was cut off when Tessa embraced him in a tight hug. He sighed, hugging her back. "There's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"You know there isn't. I have to find him, Magnus. He'd do the same for me," Tessa kissed his cheek. "Don't forget about the computers down there. There's more like that throughout the city but I don't know all the locations. And don't let Valentine get the CUP."

Before any of the men could get in another word, Tessa easily climbed the fire escape onto the roof of the building next to them, disappearing from their sight. 

"Well then. She's certainly....something," Jace said. "Was she an ex lover of yours?"

"No. She's a very good friend of mine. I'd be dead long ago if it wasn't for her. She's like a little sister to me," Magnus cleared his throat. "Alrighty then. If we're done here, I'd like to return to the precinct. Or Alec's place. Anywhere but here, basically."

The drive back to the precinct felt long. All three men were quiet for the entire ride. The silence only grew increasingly awkward the longer they drove through traffic, the only source of noise being the honk of horns and people yelling at each other from across the street. 

Alec finally spoke up. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth about happened at the mayor's office."

Jace looked at him. "It's okay. I understand why you didn't say anything and I get it. You didn't want me to get in trouble with anyone. I should've been there for you, Alec. This isn't fair."

"Fair? What, you jealous I had a near death experience and you didn't?" Alec chuckled. 

"No. I meant fair as in I should've been there to help you. Protect you. We're partners, Alec-"

"Look." Alec sighed. "It's fine. I've been taking beatings since we were in elementary school. I can handle a few cuts and bruises. Plus, you've been so attached with the little girl lately that it's understandable that you'd forget about me."

Jace scoffed. "That's what this is about? Clary? Seriously, Alec? Why are you dragging her into this?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because you're turning into one of those boyfriends who's entire world revolves around their girlfriend! And they're forgetting about their family!"

"Oh yeah?! What about you and Magnus?!"

Magnus leaned forward from the backseat. "Alec and Magnus aren't together. Just so we're clear-"

"Shut up Magnus," Jace and Alec said at the same time, shutting him up immediately. 

"Why are you so pressed about Clary? She's never bothered you before. Help me understand why you're so upset," Jace snapped. His face was starting to turn red. He was getting angry. 

"I'm pressed because we barely spend time together anymore. You're always with Clary. Or if we are hanging out, you're texting Clary and not paying attention to what we're doing. I can't take it anymore!" Alec yelled. "I can't! You're going to have to do something, Jace. You know I don't have any friends. The only people I hang out with are you and the family. Magnus too. Even he's around more than you are and you're my brother."

"Thanks?" Magnus said. "Listen, guys. If I wanted drama, I would've called a taxi and listened to my driver complain about how his wife cooks the same meal every night. I just wanted to go back to Alec's. Not get a literal backseat show to your drama fest."

Alec gripped the wheel, knuckles turning white. "We have to go back to the precinct. A report needs to be written up about the underground computers. Unless you're too busy with Clarissa to even bother with the report?"

"Oh definitely. Much too busy. Clary consumes my very essence, Alec. I can't breathe without her. You're just fucking jealous because you don't have anyone to care about or love the way Clary and I do!"

Alec slammed on the brakes, causing Jace to fly forward and choke himself with his seatbelt. "Get out."

Jace glared at him. "Excuse me?!"

"You heard me. Get the fuck out of the car."

"You're making me walk?! Seriously?!"

Alec reached over and opened Jace's door with a hand. "God gave you two perfectly good legs. Use them."

Jace snorted but obliged. "Stop acting like such a child, Alec. I didn't mean what I said-"

"Yes you did. Otherwise you wouldn't have said it."

Magnus turned to look out the back window as Alec sped away, leaving Jace in a literal cloud of dust. "Trouble in paradise?"

Alec grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. "I'm just pissed that he's putting some girl over the needs of his family."

"The needs of his family or just your needs?"

Alec looked up into the rearview mirror and saw Magnus was smiling at him. "I'm not answering that."

"I don't expect you to. I already know the answer," Magnus took off his seatbelt and crawled up into the passenger seat, much to Alec's distaste of breaking the seatbelt rule. "Ah. There we go. Where are we headed now?"

Alec checked his phone. There was a text from his father, saying he and Jace had to return to the precinct for a meeting. "Looks like we're heading back to the station. There's a meeting my dad wants us to attend."

It had begun to rain when they returned. Jace still hadn't shown up and a twinge of guilt stabbed Alec in the stomach when he saw that Jace's desk was empty. 

"He'll come striding in soon, Alec. Don't worry about him. What's this meeting about? Workplace safety? Harassment in the office? If so, I'd like to make a complaint about the lady at the front desk. She keeps pinching my butt cheek whenever I walk by."

Just as Magnus said, Jace came walking in. He was soaking wet from the downpour outside. His blonde hair dropped down in his eyes and onto his white shirt as he walked towards his desk. 

Robert noticed this and came over to where his sons sat in silence. "What happened to you? You're dripping everywhere on the floor."

"Walked back to the precinct. Had a few errands to run so I told Alec to go on ahead without me. Didn't think the rain would come on so fast like that."

Alec had his elbows resting on his knees when Jace straight up lied to their father's face, not believing what his ears were hearing. Jace never lied. At least not like this. He lied back in middle school about one of his friends decided to get Alec in trouble and put half a cigarette in Alec's room. Jace took the heat for that and was grounded for three months after that. 

"Yeah. It happened pretty fast, huh? That's New York for you," Robert peered out the window and sighed. "You boys know why I called you back here, right?"

"For a meeting," Alec said. "What's it for?"

Robert huffed. "Agent Branwell will fill you in on the details. It's all hands on deck for this one, kiddos. She means business."

Robert led them into the conference room which was so full that most of the officers had to stand out in the hall and listen to the meeting that way. Even the archives guy Simon was there. He waved cheerily at Alec when he saw the three men come in. Alec nodded his head. 

"Thank you everyone for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here today. I realize that many of the officers here are out on duty so please fill them in on the details accordingly when they return from their shift," Lydia stood at the front of the room, arms crossed over her chest as she spoke. "As you're well aware, Valentine is slowly making his way out of the woodworks again. We have two of your precinct's finest detectives on the case, Detective Lightwood and Wayland. Also their consultant Magnus Bane as well. Any questions so far?"

No said anything. Lydia continued. 

"These detectives have gathered very little evidence thus far and as they run around the city playing cops and robbers, Valentine gets one step closer to what he wants. The CUP."

Alec made a move to protest but Magnus grabbed his arm to stop him. Jace just glared at them both, not saying a word. 

"Therefore the FBI are taking full responsibility of the case. All evidence and reports are to be handed in before the end of the day. Any unfinished reports are to be completed and turned in along with anything else that's of importance to the case. Any questions?"

Alec raised a hand. "On who's authority? You can't just come in here and take over like you own the place. We have rights-"

"The government has issued that the FBI take over the case and close it as efficiently and effectively as possible. I realize that the case given to you and your partner, but we simply cannot deny the fact that we aren't getting results as quickly as we'd like."

Alec scowled. "So you're just taking over? As simple as that?"

Lydia stared at him, hard and cold. "As simple as that. Meeting adjourned. Back to your stations, ladies and gentlemen."

The room was abuzz with chatter as everyone put their chairs away and went back out to their stations. The only people who remained in the conference room were Alec, Magnus and Jace. Jace had no real reason to stay behind other than to talk tonalec privately which Alec didn't feel like doing. He was busy speaking with Lydia. 

"Agent Branwell. May I have a moment of your time?" He whispered. 

Lydia nodded. "Of course. What can I do for you, detective?"

Alec rubbed his neck. "I'm sorry if I came across as rude earlier. I just wasn't too pleased with the fact my first case as detective was taken from me."

Lydia shook her head. "I understand. I'd be pissed too if someone came along and took my case from me. I get it. But that's not why you wanted to talk to me, is it?"

"Well no. I did want to apologize. But I also wanted to ask you if there's anything my partners and I can help you with."

Lydia cocked her head. "Actually....there may be something you guys can help with. One of our contacts said that Valentine's right hand man was meeting with someone tomorrow afternoon. We need someone to go undercover and listen in on the conversation."

"Like disguises? False names? Backstory? That kind of undercover?" Magnus chimed in. 

"I wouldn't go that far. We'll plant a highly sensitive mirophone on you and you'll try to get as close as possible to the scene of the meeting. It's simple."

Alec nodded. "We'll do it."

Magnus looked at him. "We will?" 

"Of course we will. We're too involved in this case to just give up now. I want to be involved in this as much as possible. Think you can make it happen?" He asked Lydia. 

Lydia shrugged. "I'll see if I can pull a few strings. But for now, that's all I want you to do. Recon. Nothing more. Do anything stupid and I'll have your badges revoked."

Alec nodded. "Understood. Thank you so, Agent Branwell."

Jace didn't like this idea at all. After Lydia left the room, he approached Alec and gripped his brother's arm gently. "Alec. About earlier. I'm s-"

"Don't touch me. Okay? Just...just stay away from me. I have a job to do right now. I'll act childish with you later on."

Jace was speechless as he stared at Alec, stunned. 

**********

"My painting arrived! My good fucking lord, it's huge. It looked much smaller on my phone...." 

Magnus and Alec were standing in front of a seven foot long, five foot high painting of what Clary claimed to be her setting for her story. Idris looked very beautiful in her head. Ocean waves crashing against a hillside, a valley of trees leading to a small town that looked like 18th century London and the sun and the moon on opposite sides of the sky. 

"Wow. Clary really outdid herself this time. It's huge," Alec felt the painting with a finger. "It's beautiful. I never imagined such a simple place like this could be so breathtaking."

"Much of life's beauties are simple things. Flowers, for example. Small little things that bloom in many colors and shapes and sizes. It's just that you have to look at what's in front of you if you want to see the beauty of it."

Alec looked at Magnus; the other man was looking at him with sparkling eyes. "Are you hinting at something?"

"Nope. Not me. I'm not subtly calling you beautiful at all."

Alec chuckled. "Are you always this cryptic?"

"Me? No. I'm not being cryptic. I was being coy," he grinned at Alec as he ran a hand over the painting. "Can you believe I spend a shit ton of money on this thing? How drunk was I-ow!" He gripped his finger and sucked on the skin. "I cut myself on something sharp!"

"Something sharp? It's a painting. What could be sharp on it?" Alec slowly moved a hand over the painting and felt around for the foreign object that sliced Magnus' finger open. "There's something here. Blended in with the trees. Hand me a knife, would you?"

Magnus went into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. "What is it? It's got to be sharp if it cut me."

"I guess we'll find out once I pry it off...." Alec stuck the knife underneath the object and it came off with the slightest of ease. "It looks like some kind of microchip or something."

Magnus picked it up between his fingers. "Tiny little thing. Wonder what it is?"

You don't see art. You feel it

Alec's mouth dropped open as Catarina's voice echoed in his head. "Holy fuck. Magnus-Magnus! Be careful with that!"

"Uh, why? Do you know what it is or something?"

Alec took the chip in his hand and nodded. "I do. It's the CUP, Magnus. We found the fucking CUP."


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more like a filler chapter but I felt Alec and Magnus needed to spend some time together after everything they've been through so enjoy :)

"That's the CUP?"

Alec held the small chip in the palm of his hand. "So it would seem. This is what's causing the huge ruckus lately. This tiny little thing."

Magnus looked at it. "It's smaller than I imagined."

Alec snorted. "What were you expecting? An actual cup? A goblet shaped drinking glass?"

Even Chairman Meow seemed interested in the small chip. He had jumped up on the counter and sniffed at Alec's hand, eventually beginning to purr and rub his head up against Alec's thumb. 

"What do we do with it? We can't just leave it here for everyone to find." Magnus took a plastic baggy out from the cupboard. "Here. Put it in this for safekeeping."

Alec placed the chip into the bag. "We turn it in. It's obvious. We found the CUP before Valentine so we have to bring it to the authorities."

"Alec sweety you are the authority."

"Oh. Good point. Well in that case we'll bring it into the higher authorities in the morning-"

"Are you insane?!" Magnus held the baggy with the chip inside close to his chest. "We just learned not long ago that there's a mole in the precinct and you want to bring this in so the mole can take it back to their boss? Boy, I knew you were smart but sometimes I actually think you may be dumb."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Fine. Tomorrow morning I'll talk to my father about the Circle like Catarina suggested. Life's been so crazy lately that I never even found time to breathe."

They both sat on the couch at the same time. Chairman sat on the coffee table, giving them a show by lifting one of his back legs high in the air and began to lick himself. 

"Chair, that's disgusting. Go somewhere else and do that," Magnus gently nudged his cat off the table with a foot. Chairman meowed in protest. 

"He's not pleased with you," Alec pointed out. 

"He never is. Nothing pleases him. He's a little diva."

"Kind of like his owner."

"Meh. I'll take it. I do like being a diva sometimes. Except I don't lick myself in front of people like that. Or flick my poop everywhere."

Alec laughed so hard that his entire body shook. "Oh fuck. That was good. I just imagined you with your leg in the air and-" He stopped to laugh again, doubling over. 

"Laugh it up. We'll see who's laughing in the morning when you wear a button up shirt and all your damn buttons are done up wrong. What are you, ten years old?"

Alec punched him on the shoulder playfully, eventually falling back against the couch to admire the painting. "Who even put the CUP on the painting? And what made them do it?"

Magnus shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I doubt it was Clary. She doesn't even know about it."

"Or so she claims. Maybe it was her. That's quite the hiding spot though. I'd never suspect it actually being in the painting." Alec tilted his head. "How did Catarina know it was there?"

"Catarina knew?"

"The night of the raid she told me that you don't see art, you feel it. That's exactly what we did. We felt the painting."

Magnus whistled. "Whoa. That's kind of freaky when you think about it. Maybe she put it there? Should we go ask her?"

"Magnus, we don't even know where she is. Ragnor never told us where they're hiding-"

"Ragnor never did, but Tessa might be able to tell us."

Alec looked over at him. "Tessa? What makes you think that?"

In answer to his question, Magnus pulled out a map from his suitcase and handed it to him. "Downworlders don't stray far from their home. Tessa is a Downworlder. She's a part of their pack or group or whatever you want to call them. She'll know where Catarina is for sure."

Alec opened the map of New York and studied it. "Think she'll be willing to tell us?"

"If it involves us getting her one step closer to getting back her lover from Valentine then yes. She most definitely will."

They were quiet for a few minutes as they passed to the chip to each other and looked it over. Chairman had ceased his licking and was now sitting on the windowsill. He enjoyed watching the traffic down below and meowing for no reason other than the sake of meowing. 

"You know what I just realized?" Magnus said. "We still haven't gone on our first date yet."

Alec looked up from the map he was holding. Magnus was watching him with twinkling eyes and a small smile on his face. He was serious. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Wanna....I don't know....get a drink sometime?"

Magnus' smile got so big that his eyes disappeared under his rising cheeks. "I would love that."

Alec smiled. "Great."

"But you don't drink so that's a bit of a conundrum. Maybe we can go to dinner instead?"

Realizing that going out for a drink was a bad idea, Alec reached for his wallet and keys on the living room table. "You're right. Dinner sounds like a good idea. Let's go right now and get it over with."

Magnus barked a laugh. "Get it over with? Wow, Alec. So romantic. I'm really feeling the love here."

Alec ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I've never been on a date before so this is all new to me. I'm going to fuck up a lot."

Magnus held Alec's face between his hands. "It's okay. I understand. First anythings can be quite scary but you have no reason to apologize. I'm going to fuck up too. I really want to impress this guy I like. He's so intelligent and tall and handsome that he makes me feel irrelevant and small."

"You're not irrelevant. Or small. Height wise yes, you're a little shorter than me but personality wise you're anything but. You're loud and everyone notices you. I'm more or less in the background."

"Oh Alexander," Magnus twirled a strand of Alec's black hair around a finger. He loved Alec's hair. Even when it was messy it was as beautiful as the night sky. Not to mention it was soft and fluffy to the touch. "When will you realize that sometimes the background is more important than the foreground?"

"Probably never."

"I figured. Maybe this will wake you up."

Magnus let his lips linger just over Alec's before actually connecting them and kissing him deeply. A small moan escaped Alec's throat and into Magnus' mouth; their lips moved in sync and much to Alec's surprise, Magnus' tongue slipped inside his mouth and began to feel his own, almost doing a dance together. 

"Maybe we should....uh...go...." Alec's voice was a deep croak when he talked, his breathing uneven and shaky. 

"Maybe we should....uh...stay here and get naked and viciously make out until dawn," Magnus pulled Alec down again and kissed him. 

Alec gently pushed Magnus away to look at him. "I'm not interested in being just a hook up, Magnus. I'm not that type of guy."

Magnus sighed through his nose. "I respect that. I respect you. Let's go to dinner first and when we get back, I'm staring at you for the rest of the evening and admiring the real art in this place."

Alec felt his ears go hot. "I'm not art..."

Magnus blinked. "You're fucking Starry Night, Alexander. A masterpiece."

**********

"For my backstory, I was thinking my name is Antoine Ramirez. My family came here from Mexico in the 80's in search of the American Dream. My father is a milkman. My mother is a social worker. How does that sound?"

Alec stared at Magnus with his chopsticks raised halfway up to his mouth. "Antoine Ramirez? Are you for real? You're not even...."

Magnus leaned forward and crossed his legs, resting his chin on his hands. "I'm not even what, Lightwood? Go on. I want to hear what it was you were about to say."

Alec mumbled something under his breath. "Nothing. Forget it. We're not even disguising ourselves, Magnus. It's recon. Nothing more."

Magnus smiled and popped a chicken ball into his mouth. "Racist thoughts aside, I realize we're not in a situation where disguises are needed. I'm just saying. If we did need false names, that's the one I'd choose."

"You'd stick out like a sore thumb."

"Ah, the racist comments return. Keep them coming. They taste fantastic with my Chinese food."

"I'm not being-ugh! Just stop!" Alec tossed his container of chow mein on the table. "You're doing it again. Turning the conversation around and making me look bad." He looked up at Magnus. "Where did you hide the you know what before we left?"

"Alexander Gideon. Who the fuck you going to look bad in front of? It's just us here! And I hid the you know what in Chairman's litter box."

Alec choked. "You what?! You put it where?!"

"Chill. No one suspects the litter box. They won't even go near it. Trust me. Chairman won't even go near it sometimes. And it's his shit inside it."

Alec looked around the Jade Wolf. The place was empty except for a young man wiping down tables in the back of the room. "True. Anyway. I hate how you flip our conversations sometimes. You make the conversation go sideways and the person you talk to sounds like an idiot-I just called myself an idiot."

Magnus giggled. "I'm a con man. What do you expect? I make people say things they normally wouldn't."

Alec sipped his drink quietly. "Do you ever wish things were different? Like all this never happened and your life was normal?"

Magnus paused for a moment to think about it. "I used to think that way. But now I don't. So nope. I don't wish things were different."

"Seriously? Why not?"

Magnus shrugged. "If things were different, then I wouldn't have met you."

Trying to hold his laughter, Alec bit his lip to keep from bursting out in giggles. "You're being extra cheesy tonight. What's with you?"

The clock on the wall chimed as Magnus opened his mouth to speak. Eight o'clock. "I'm on a date with the guy I've had a crush on since I first met him. Am I not allowed to be happy?"

"I didn't say that. And please don't get the wrong idea. I love cheese. I'm just not...." Alec sighed. "I'm not used to the attention. Normally it's Jace that everyone notices. He has different coloured eyes. His hair blows in the wind like freaking strands of gold. He's more noticeable."

"You're absolutely right. He is more noticeable. I'm on a date with the wrong person. I better call him right now and ask him to get here ASAP." Magnus rolled his eyes. "Alec. I never never did notice Jace. I mean yes he's handsome but he's annoying as fuck and he gets on my nerves. You were the one I noticed right from the get go. Your confidence. Your intelligence. The way you handle a gun-don't even get me started."

Alec let his hands be held and squeezed. He didn't mind. There weren't any people in the restaurant anyway. "So not once did you ever have a sexual thought about Jace?"

Magnus cringed. "Ew. No. I mean bless him, he's cute and all but I'd never go for him. You're the one I want. Plus I got a thing for tall boys with beautiful hazel eyes and gorgeous black hair."

Alec blushed as he ducked his head to shove a mouthful of noodles into his mouth. He still wasn't used to receiving compliments yet. He doubted he ever will be. "You've been thinking a lot about this whole recon situation. Did you seriously think we were going to go deep undercover?"

"Well it doesn't hurt to be prepared. I've had that alias picked out since I was 15. Haven't had a chance to use it yet and figured this was the perfect opportunity. You got sauce on your chin."

Alec reached up to wipe his chin but Magnus beat him to it. "T-thanks. I wish I had an alias picked out. I'd feel better prepared."

Magnus took a quick drink. "I always loved the name Matthew. It's such a manly name. Your last name could have a lot of letter D's in it. At least three."

"If I ever need an alias, I know who to call," Alec laughed, sipping his own drink. "I'm having a lot of fun. Clearly I've been missing out on the whole dating scene."

A noodle smacked Magnus on the face as he slurped it up. "Trust me. It's not that great. It all depends on who you're with and where you're at. As far as both of those factors are concerned right now.....both are enjoyable at the moment."

They both smiled at each other and ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they were finished, Alec paid the bill (Magnus protested against this) and thanked their waitress for their service. Magnus was floored by Alec's manners. He never knew anyone who thanked their waitress. Never. He always just paid for the meal, left a nice tip and went on. 

"So I was thinking....have you ever seen all of New York before?" Magnus asked. "I'm just curious."

"I've seen most of it. Times Square. Statue of Liberty. Madison Square Garden. Why? Do you have he next destination in mind?"

Magnus smirked and reached for Alec's hand and held it as they walked. "I've got a place in mind. But you need to be blindfolded for this."

Alec stopped walking, pulling Magnus back towards him with their entwined hands. "I want to know where we're going before you blindfold me. For all I know you could be taking me to a rooftop and push me off."

Magnus laughed. "Right. Because nothing says 'hey I really like you' more than shoving your crush off a roof. Seriously, Alec? You need to relax. I'm not going to lead you anywhere dangerous. You have to put your trust in me. Can you do that?"

Alec nodded slowly. "I can try. My mind is telling me one thing but my heart's telling me another."

Magnus held his hand, squeezing it. "Which would you rather listen to?"

Alec's face was so close to Magnus' that he could kiss him. He could smell the Chinese food off Magnus' breath, along with a hint of mint and cologne. "I don't know. I'm confused. I've never felt this way before."

Magnus smiled. "Come on. I'll lead the way."

New York at night is breathtaking. Being born and raised here, Alec knew that the city at night was just as beautiful as it was in the daytime. But it felt more alive at night. You could still feel the buzz of life as pedestrians walk the streets, heading to clubs or bars or wherever they felt like going. It was the constant thrum of life Alec enjoyed most about the city. 

Being blindfolded while being led to an unknown location, however, isn't as breathtaking. 

"Magnus? Where are we going?" Alec had his hands waving about as he tried to get a grip on something. He felt like he was about to fall forward on his face. 

"It's a surprise, Alexander. If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore. Watch your step. There's a welcome mat here."

"A welcome mat? Where the hell are we? What's that amazing smell?" Alec breathed in deeply through his nose. "Holy-is that what I think it is?"

Magnus smirked. "What do you think it is?"

Alec smiled broadly. "I know that smell. It's cupcakes. Are we at a bakery?!"

"Ding ding ding! The nose have it away! Should've shoved something up your nostrils to block the aroma. Oh well. We're at Magnolia."

Alec slipped off the blindfold and marvelled at the cupcakes and pastries on display. The woman at the counter had the biggest grin on her face as Alec peered into the display cases like a child. 

"Good evening, sirs. What can I get you?" She asked. 

"Whatever this big guy wants. It's our first date," Magnus winked, laughing as Alec nudged him with an elbow. "He's a bit embarrassed by this. We walked three blocks with blindfolded. Nobody questioned us."

"Thank god...." Alec murmured. "I'll have a red velvet cupcake and a black bottom muffin, please."

"Make that two of each," Magnus added. "I can't decide what I want so I'll just along with him."

The lady nodded and took out a small box to put their orders in. Once they were nearly put away, she ringed them up on the register. "Because this is your first date and you cuties made my entire night, I'll just charge you three dollars."

Alec was about to place a bill on the table when Magnus smacked his hand. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You paid for dinner. I'm buying dessert. Sound fair?"

Alec shrugged. "Fine. But I'm paying next time."

They sat on a bench just outside the bakery to eat. Magnus had opened up the box and had his muffin gone before Alec could even take a bite out of his cupcake. 

"Mm. Holy shit. I forgot how good these were. How's your cupcake?"

Alec nodded. "Delicious. I haven't had these in years. How did you know I liked this bakery?"

"I didn't. I liked this place too so I decided to bring you here. Turned out okay, didn't it? I was scared you're one of those guys who didn't like sweets."

Alec licked the icing off his lips. "I love sweets."

"I'm sweet," Magnus purred. 

Alec smirked at this. 

"You don't think I'm sweet?"

Seeing a bit of icing on Magnus' lip, Alec reached up and gently wiped it away with his thumb. "On the contrary, I think you're very sweet. I can't say that a whole lot of people would go out of their way like this to make sure I'm having a good time."

"Well those people suck. You deserve to be happy. You deserve everything good in this world-hell, you deserve all of the red velvet cupcakes." Magnus took another bite of his cupcake. "But you're not getting mine though. That's the only cupcake you're not getting."

Alec took a deep breath, watching Magnus slowly bite into the pastry. "I already have the cupcake I wanted."

Magnus paused, pastry halfway up to his mouth when he saw Alec smiling at him. "Alexander. Did you just call me a cupcake?"

Alec blushed. "Maybe. Was that too much?"

Magnus kissed him on the lips. Alec tasted like red velvet. "No. That was absolutely perfect."


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

Alec woke up with the sun shining directly on his face. It was a beautiful morning in New York for a change. Normally it was dull and dreary, the clouds a dark gray or often black and the rain pounding down on his windows. But today was different. It was if God finally said "you will be happy today, Alexander. You deserve it".

Beside him, Magnus groaned and stretched. "Well. What a beautiful sight to wake up to. Good morning, handsome."

"Morning," Alec leaned in and kissed him. "How was your sleep?"

"Fantastic. I slept easy for the first time in weeks. Sleeping next to you has that effect on me," Magnus smiled broadly at Alec's tousled bed head. "God, you're beautiful in the morning. And the afternoon. You're beautiful all day long."

"Stop it. It's too early for that," Alec yawned and stretched. One leg laid outside on top of the sheets while the other was being stroked by Magnus' toes under them. "Feel like moving today?"

"Fuck no. I'd stay here all day if that meant listening to that sexy deep sleepy voice of yours. Lord. Don't even get me started on your bare chest." Magnus felt along the ridges of Alec's abdomen. They shivered under his touch. 

Alec squirmed under Magnus' fingers, ticklish. "Stop! That tickles!"

"Hush. You secretly like it," Magnus made a trail with his lips over Alec's collarbone and neck. 

"Yup. You caught me. I secretly love being tickled-" Alec groaned as Magnus sucked on the side of his neck. "Fuck....fuck, that feels so good Magnus. Oh my god...."

Magnus smirked but said nothing. He'd been wanting to suck that glorious neck for ages now. Long and thick and he loved the way it moved every time Alec talked. The skin was soft and somewhat smooth; he could feel stubble growing just under Alec's jawline. 

"We could stay in bed all day. I can think of a million and one ways to entertain you...." Magnus' lips eventually made their way up to Alec's. 

"I have work, Magnus. We have to do recon this afternoon. Remember?" Alec ran a finger along Magnus' shoulder. "I'll buy you breakfast? Coffee?"

Chairman Meow jumped up on the bed and meowed, getting into the space between them (which wasn't much). He began to purr as he found a comfortable spot pressed up against Alec's chest, his eyes starting to droop. 

"Cock blocker. Jesus. Can't I be happy too?!" Magnus grumbled. He poked Chairman on the belly and the cat meowed in protest. "I'm getting the feeling you like coming between us, you little furry demon spawn from Hell."

"Shh. Don't be mean to Chairman. He just wants cuddles too," Alec picked up Chairman in his hands and moved so that he was laying down on his back, Chairman on his chest. He kissed the cat's head and laughed when he got his nose licked. 

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Whatever. While you two make out, I'm going to go take a shower. Hope everything goes well with the both of you."

Alec kissed the cat again. "Hear that?" He said to Chairman. "He gave us his blessing!"

"Fuck you," Magnus laughed, shutting the bathroom door behind him. 

**********

"What's with you this morning? You're practically glowing," Simon asked as he refilled the coffee maker with a fresh filter. "Did you and Magnus....."

"No. We didn't. We....spooned all night long," Alec whispered as he took off his jacket. 

"Hey. Gotta start somewhere. Raphael didn't even like holding hands when we started dating, but he's warmed up to me a little bit. He's coming around."

"That's good. Wish I could say the same for Magnus but he's been 'coming around' since day one."

Simon grinned. "He liked you since he's laid eyes on you, hasn't he? Come on. I can see it in your eyes. They got all twinkly and stuff."

Alec sighed. "Okay. Geez. I might've had a feeling or two. But I put the job before everything else. Always have."

"And do you feel better now that you finally let someone in?"

".....yeah. Yeah, I do."

Simon beamed. "I'm proud of you, big guy! What can we call you guys? Algnus? Malec?"

"Please don't put out names together like Brangelina. It's weird. Where's Agent Branwell? She's supposed to give us instructions for the recon this afternoon."

Simon pointed to the conference room. "In there. Your dad's in there too. But I haven't seen Jace yet today. Is he okay?"

Alec shrugged. "We had an argument yesterday but it's nothing he can't handle. He'll come shuffling in eventually."

Agent Branwell and Magnus were talking quietly when Alec entered the conference room. Robert stood at the window beside the food table, talking on his phone in a hushed voice. No one acknowledged him as he took his seat at the table. 

"We'll be wearing mics, right? In our ears too?" Magnus poured up a cup of coffee for himself and Alec. "Is it just one way communication or two ways?"

"Two," Lydia said, and adding "But we can make it one way if we needed to. There's a mute button on our side that we can press and we can talk without you hearing us. Comes in handy sometimes."

"Right," Magnus nodded. "And this person who's meeting one of Valentine's people. Shouldn't we get a photo of who it is so we knew who were looking for?" 

"Magnus, don't be snarky...." Alec whispered. 

"I'm not. I'm being curious. Plus it makes sense to know who we're looking for instead of twiddling our thumbs in public wondering who the fuck we're looking for. Doesn't it?"

Lydia stared at Magnus with a hard expression on her face. "You're right. My apologies for that. This is who you'll be watching for."

She pressed a button on the Smartboard and a photo appeared. Almost immediately, Magnus reacted. 

"That's Tessa! Why are we listening in on a conversation between her and one of Valentine's men?!"

"She said he had kidnapped her lover. Remember when we met up with her yesterday?" Alec whispered. 

"You've already met with the target?" Lydia crossed her arms over her chest. "Why weren't we made aware of this?"

Alec shrugged. "It was probably in Jace's report-"

"And where is Jace, may I ask? Isn't he your partner in crime?"

"Not here, that's for sure," Magnus pointed to the photo. "So that's Tessa, like I said. Do you think she'll try and make a deal with Valentine to free her soulmate?"

Lydia changed it over to the next photo, which was of Hodge leaving the Hotel Dumort. "That's why you're doing recon. To find out why she's having a meeting in the first place. As for him....he was last spotted outside the Dumort before disappearing inside a black unmarked vehicle."

"Poor Hodge. He was terrified when we went to interrogate him. He knew Valentine would come after him eventually," Magnus shook his head and sighed. "He was a little bitch but he was an okay guy."

Alec said nothing in return. "Do you think Valentine has him too?"

"We don't know what to think at this point. We're just hoping that you and Mr. Bane here find something out today. A good solid lead. Something to get this case back on track." Lydia handed them an earpiece each. "Put these on. We can communicate with each other while you're in the field. Our tech guys will be parked a few blocks away so if anything goes wrong, we'll come grab you."

Magnus put the earpiece on. "And do you expect anything to go wrong?"

Alec winced as he heard feedback. "We can't afford to make any mistakes, Magnus. Tessa's life is on the line."

Lydia nodded. "Alec is right. Tessa is a pedestrian. We can't afford to risk exposure to her or to us. We keep this on the down low. Don't get too close and try not to draw attention to yourselves."

Magnus looked up to see everyone in the room staring at him. "What is everyone looking at me for? I never draw attention to myself! At least not intentionally."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Of course not. You just naturally stand out."

Magnus smiled at this. "Remind me again what exactly Alec and I are supposed to do once we're in position?"

Lydia handed them a piece of paper. "This is the location of the meet. We want you to blend in as much as possible. Sit together at a table. Order food. We'll make sure the restaurants and vendors are aware of the situation so you don't have to worry about paying for anything."

"Free food? Count me in," Magnus winked. 

Alec nudged him. "We're not doing this for the food, Magnus. Tessa-"

"I know. Tessa's life is at stake. You don't have to remind me."

When the meeting was adjourned, Robert pulled Alec off to the side. Once everyone was gone, he closed the door and shut the blinds. 

"Dad? What's wrong?" Alec didn't like the worried expression on his father's face. He only wore it when his mother was about to pop a gasket or when Isabelle skipped off school for a few days. 

"Alec....I know you're a grown man and you shouldn't have to babysit Jace but....have you seen him at all today? He's not answering his phone. I even called Clary and she said he hasn't been home all night. I'm starting to get worried."

Alec shook his head. "I haven't seen him since yesterday. We didn't exactly leave work on the best of terms. Why? Do you think something's wrong?"

Robert rubbed his temples wearily. He looked so much older when he was tired, Alec thought. He wasn't used to seeing his father looking so weak and completely done with everything. "I don't know what to think. Unlike high school, Jace has never missed a single day at work. He loves the job too much. That's what worries me the most."

Alec reached across the table and took his father's hand in his own, giving it a gentle but reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, dad. He'll show up later today. You know Jace. He does everything for a reason."

Robert looked up into his son's eyes. "You're such a strong young man, Alec. You've you do so much for people and yet you ask for so little in return."

Alec blushed. "I don't want anything in return. I get all the satisfaction I need in making others proud and happy."

"Alec-" Robert's voice faltered. "Listen to me. There's something I need to tell you. It's important and I don't want you repeating it to anyone, okay? It could bring danger to our family."

Alec frowned. "Dad....what's wrong?"

"Listen to me, Alexander. When you were a kid, I was involved in some heavy shit. I made mistakes that I tried to correct. I made a lot of decisions that I regret." Robert gripped Alec's hand in his own. "Please understand me when I say this, Alec. I....used to work for Valentine."

Alec's heart sank to the floor. "Wh-what? You used to work for the man we're trying to convict?"

"Yes. And I regret it everyday. When Isabelle was born, I knew I needed to get out. I was a cop at the time and I knew it was wrong. But I needed to be sure that my family were well protected no matter what-"

"Protected? You're a fucking cop, dad! You were supposed to protect us!"

"And I did my best! For so long, we were safe. But I'm afraid now that we're going after him, he's going to try and take out the people who left his circle."

Circle? Why did that sound so familiar? Alec could've sworn he heard something like that before. 

Then it came to him. The Circle. Catarina had mentioned it the night of the raid. She told him to ask his father about it but Alec never had the chance to even think about it. With all the chaos with the case and now with Jace possibly missing, it was a lot for Alec to process. 

"The Circle. One of the Downworlders we spoke to the other night told me about it. Said to ask you some questions. I guess I don't need to now that you pretty much told me everything already," Alec grit his teeth, moving his hands out from his father's grip. "Why didn't you tell me this before?!"

"Because I didn't want you dragged into the family history! I didn't want you to get hurt, Alec! I thought maybe if you got the case-"

"You thought if I got the case I could cleanse the family name and get back the respect you once had. Is that what you were thinking?" Alec got to his feet and paced the room. "You know, I used to think you were some kind of superhero. Always going out into the city and saving the day. Now I know you're no better than Valentine."

Robert looked absolutely defeated by this. "Alec....you don't mean that...."

"I do, dad. I actually do. My whole life you've drilled into me that I wasn't good enough. Then this case comes up and I feel so proud of myself for being able to handle something as big as this and then you drop this huge secret bomb on me? Expecting me to clear the family name?" He snorted. "Fuck this. Fuck you. I expected more from you, Robert. I admired you ever since I knew what a cop even was. You were my hero. But you're just some washed up dirty cop who's on the wrong side of the bars."

Robert stood up. "Alec, listen to me-"

"I've listened to you enough for one day. And I've heard what I needed to hear."

"Son please-"

"Magnus and I have a job to do. One that doesn't include trying to clean up the ugly mess you made twenty plus years ago."

Robert sank into the chair as Alec stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. 

The sound of a door slamming made Magnus jump in surprise. Once he saw Alec rushing out the door in a hurry, he knew that something wasn't right. "You okay? You look pissed off."

"That's because I am. I'm sick of the lies and the deceit and pretty much everything else at this point in my life. My own dad, a person I thought the world of, kept a secret from me and the rest of my family for years. It makes me wonder what else he's hiding from me. Or everyone else." Alec punched his desk in anger as he spoke. "What would you do, Magnus? If someone you cared about lied to you your entire life?"

Magnus frowned. "I don't know. I can't say what I'd do because I've never been in a situation like that before so it's not really my place to say. I can tell you that it's best not to dwell on it. Focus on the tasks ahead. We're going to take Valentine down once and for all. You and me."

Alec stood up straighter and nodded with confidence. "You're right. We are going to take Valentine down."

"That's the spirit! Give yourself a pep talk. It works all the time for me!"

"I'm a confident, intelligent officer of the law."

"Not to mention handsome too," Magnus added. 

"I can do anything I set my mind to," Alec continued. "Because I'm smart and I have the knowledge to back me up."

Magnus pat his arm. "Don't forget to mention me too. I'm pretty much your subconscious. A very good looking subconscious."

Alec grinned. "Can you believe that I thought you were the most irritating person ever at one point?"

Magnus laughed. "Actually yes. I can. Can you believe that I purposely hid Jace's glasses so he couldn't see shit all?"

Alec, who was loading in this gun, looked up in surprise. "You what?"

"Nothing. I didn't say anything. Now let's go! Time's a wasting! Tessa's life is at risk here and the more we stand around flirting, the closer she is to getting herself killed!"

Alec followed close behind Magnus, completely unaware that he had left his cell phone on his desk. It had begun to ring no sooner they were out the door and the caller ID read Jace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remembered that Alec didn't confront his father about the Circle so I had Robert confront Alec instead. Bit of a filler chapter but there will be lots of action in the next one. Thanks for reading!


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

"Detective, are you in position?"

Alec touched his ear piece. "We are in position. Awaiting the unsub to arrive."

"Roger that. Report back when you can. And good luck."

Alec moved his hand away from his ear and looked around at the people at the park. It seemed like a pretty public location for a meeting, but most of them usually were. Especially when it involved something heavy like Valentine. It was better to meet in a crowded place so nobody would try anything stupid. 

"You know, I was thinking....." Magnus began. 

"That's never good," Alec muttered. 

"Hey. Be nice. I was just thinking....when all this shit blows over. Do you have any plans?"

Alec look at him. "Plans? What kind of plans?"

Magnus shrugged. "I don't know. If you're the one to turn in Valentine, you'll be a celebrity. You won't have time for things anymore."

"You mean I won't have time for you."

"That's not what I said-"

"But that's what you meant. You're scared I'll forget about you once the case is closed."

They were silent as kids ran past holding kites in their hands, laughing and yelling as the kites soared high above their heads. Their parents yelled out to them to be careful but the kids didn't listen. They continued to run around completely unaware of their surroundings. 

"I know this might seem a bit sudden and out of the blue, but do you want to be my boyfriend?" Magnus blurted. 

Alec coughed and choked on his latte. "Excuse me? What?"

"You heard me. Yes or no? I'd prefer if you said yes so I don't feel bad and regret asking you."

"Uh.....let's talk about this later. Now isn't the time or place," Alec buried his nose into his newspaper, hinting at the end of the conversation. 

Getting the hint, Magnus leaned back in his chair and sighed. The kids were still running around and screaming at each other. One of them ran right into a young woman with long brown hair and dirty clothes, apologizing and staring up at the woman in curiosity. 

"Tessa just got here," he whispered. 

Alec looked up from the paper. Sure enough, Tessa sat on a bench across the pond. She looked unsure of herself as well as a little scared. 

"What do we do now?" Magnus asked. 

"Approach the target discreetly. Try to use the hidden mics to pick up the conversation. But do not engage under any circumstances. Do I make myself clear?" The voice in their earpieces said. 

"10-4," Alec said. "Crystal clear. Come on, Magnus. Walk with me."

It felt like a normal stroll in the park but they both knew it was anything but. The closer they got to Tessa, the more pressure and anxiety crept up on them. If they screwed up, her life was stake. The people around them were at stake too. Any deaths would only mean blood on their hands. 

"Unsub approaching target. Proceeding with caution," Alec whispered as they neared Tessa. Beside him, Magnus inhaled sharply in fear. 

"Copy that. Proceed with caution."

They got as close as they possibly could, switching their sensitive mics on so they could catch the conversation. Tessa looked angry as she spoke to the man beside her on the bench. The unsub's face couldn't be seen. 

"What are they talking about?" Magnus whispered. 

"I can't hear from here. Let's go a little closer." Alec made a move to get closer but Magnus gripped his jacket. "What now?"

"They're finishing up. When Tessa wipes her hands in her jeans that usually implies that the conversation is over-" Magnus froze suddenly. "Kiss me."

Alec's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"Just kiss me!" Magnus hauled Alec in close to him and planted a sloppy but satisfying kiss on the detective's lips. After a minute or two, he pushed Alec away, breathing heavily in satisfaction. 

"What....what the hell was that about?" Alec rubbed his lips with a finger. They still tingled in excitement. 

"They were headed towards us. Figured we had to hide our faces to keep from blowing our cover. It worked, didn't it?" Magnus laughed. 

The voice in their earpieces spoke up. "Don't mean to interrupt anything here, but I think we got everything we needed. Come back to the precinct once you're done making out."

"We weren't making out!" Alec hissed but the earpiece cut to static. He glared at Magnus. "You could've at least warned me that they were coming our way!"

Magnus waved a dismissive hand. "Where's the fun in that? If I told you, you would've jumped into the bushes or something. Kissing you sounded so much better in my head."

"Yeah well.....just.....warn me next time, will you?" Alec stomped away while Magnus jogged to keep up with him. He was vaguely aware of the giant smirk on Magnus' face as they headed back to the car. 

"So when you say warn you next time, are you openly admitting that you don't mind me kissing you in public?" Magnus asked as they approached the car. 

Alec sighed and leaned his forearms against the roof. "I don't mind. I just don't like being caught off guard. I'm trained to be in control of the situation. Not the other way around."

Magnus smirked. "Stick around with me long enough and we can change that." He beamed at Alec's surprised expression. "So are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," Alec mumbled as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. 

"Don't play coy with me, Alexander. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Alec sighed again. Magnus was beginning to think that he sighed more than anything else in the world. "I'm not sure. Okay? Let's wait until the case is closed. I don't have the time to spare to be concerned about anything else other than family and work right now."

Magnus felt his stomach clench in distraught. "That's understandable. You're a busy man. I can wait."

Alec glanced over at him. "You'll wait for me?"

Magnus returned the glance. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I...." Alec shrugged. "People don't usually wait for me. I'm not used to it, I guess."

Magnus placed a hand on Alec's thigh. "When you really like someone, you'll do pretty much anything for them. Even wait."

Alec gave him a small smile but said nothing as he drove back to the precinct. The entire drive, all he could think about was what they were about to hear on the recording from the park. Tessa could've discussed anything with the stranger. She had info not a lot of people can get their hands on. Plus she knew about the underground computers. That could easily be used as a bargaining chip if the time came. Alec prayed she was smart enough to use it wisely. 

Lydia looked up from her laptop when they returned back to conference room. "Gentlemen. Excellent field work out there today. My tech guys said you were pros."

"Did your tech guys also tell you they were jerking off as they listened to two men make out with each other too? Or did they fail to mention that?" Magnus' voice was full of sarcasm as he took a seat next to Alec at the long table. 

Lydia turned red in the face. "No. It's your business what you do with....Alec. I don't judge. Love is love, right?" She immediately ducked her head down to type something in on the keyboard, not saying another word to Magnus or Alec. 

"Think she knows we're a thing?" Magnus whispered. 

"We're not a thing, Magnus. Stop saying we are," Alec whispered back. "People are going to get the wrong idea if you keep acting like this."

"Wrong idea?" Magnus raised an eyebrow. "What wrong idea? We'd make a kickass couple, Lightwood. The couple who slays together, stays together."

A sudden voice on the Smartboard made Alec jump in his seat. He recognized it as Tessa speaking along with noise of birds and children in the background. 

"We've managed to isolate the noise as best as we could but it's still a bit of a strain to listen to," Lydia turned up the volume and they all listened carefully to the recording.

Tessa: "I want to know if he's okay, first of all."

Stranger: "All I can tell you is that he's fine. But if you stall further, he won't be."

Tessa: "Is there some way we can work out an agreement? Jem for the information?"

Stranger: "Quite possibly. That does sound like a fair trade. This Jem must be very important to you if you're willing to give up something as big as this."

Tessa: "I love him. He's my fiancé. Of course I'd do anything for him. Wouldn't you?"

Stranger: "I don't care for your precious Jem. I just want to do my job and get paid. Now are we done here? The boss wants to see you."

Tessa: "Valentine wants to see me? Why?"

Stranger: "I don't question him. It's better for everyone that way. Now follow me and don't try anything stupid or I will shoot you."

The recording went to static after that, leaving the room completely silent. Magnus looked stressed beyond belief. Alec's brow was furrowed in concentration. Nobody spoke. 

"Well then. That brings us to our next topic of conversation. What do we do now?" Lydia stood to her feet and shut off the Smartboard. 

"Why are you asking us? We don't know what to do now," Magnus shrugged. "Even if we did, we'd have no idea how to combat it."

"We find Tessa. That's what we have to do. Finding Tessa means finding Valentine too. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. Detective? Are you in agreement?"

Alec shrugged. "Jace needs to be here. He needs to know what's going on."

Lydia nodded. "Your phone was going off earlier on your desk. You've got a few missed calls from Jace."

"I do?" Alec jumped from his seat and rushed out to his desk. Sure enough his phone lay untouched on his desk. The lock screen read "7 missed calls" and every single one them were from his brother. 

He dialled Jace's number and waited for him to pick up. "Come on, Jace. Answer the phone....."

One ring. 

Two rings. 

Three rings. 

Four rings. 

"Alexander. Took you long enough to call me back."

Alec felt the hair on his arms rise. "Who's this? Where's Jace?"

"Jace is.....occupied at the moment. But he'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Alec grit his teeth in anger. "Where the fuck is my brother? And who the fuck am I talking to?"

The voice on the other end laughed at him. "Eager for answers, are you? I know you just listened to that recording of dear Tessa. I saw it on the camera planted in the conference room. Plan on finding her?"

Alec peered up and looked around. Nobody was on their phones or even remotely interested in what he was doing. The call mustn't be coming from inside the precinct. "Don't hurt her. I'm serious. Don't hurt her or her fiancé. Or I'll-"

"You'll what? You can't do a thing from over the phone, Alexander Lightwood. You're useless, just like your idiot brother here. He says hi, by the way."

Alec felt the anger boil his blood. "Don't touch him! I swear to god I'll kill you if you harm a single hair on his head!"

"Then stop me. Find me if you can and you'll get Jace back. But bring the CUP with you." The line went dead. 

Magnus approached the desk and sat down on the edge of it. "Everything okay with Jace?"

Alec shook his head, letting his phone drop to the floor. "He's not the one who called me."

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "But if that's his number on the caller ID-"

"It wasn't him. I think I was just talking to Valentine."

"Valentine?! What the-what's he doing with Jace's phone?" Magnus froze. "Unless.....oh, Alec. I'm so sorry. We'll get him back. We'll find him."

"I know. I tracked the location of the call. Watch." He made a few clicks with his mouse on the computer and opened up a blue screen. "That red dot is where the call was coming from. Jace and Isabelle programmed a GPS locator that can never be turned off, unless one of them have their hands on it. Jace never turns off his GPS. Says it's going to save his life one day."

"Looks like that day may be today," Magnus smirked. "Jace isn't dumb, Alec. He's smarter than you give him credit for."

Alec chuckled. "Oh believe me. I know. I grew up with him. People underestimate his intelligence. This may be the most brilliant thing he's ever done to date."

Magnus grabbed his coat. "What are we waiting for? Let's go get him then!"

Alec gripped Magnus by the shirt. "We can't just leave without backup. We could get ourselves killed."

Magnus sighed. "The longer we wait here while these other cops plan the best course of action to take, Jace is probably getting the shit beat out of him. Or worse."

Alec took a deep breath. Magnus had a very valid point but at the same time, they needed backup. "I'll take my phone in case we need to call it in."

Magnus shrugged. "You're the boss. Now let's go find Blondie before they ruin his pretty face. I'd be very disappointed if they did."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe that Arrested is coming to an end soon??? Another two chapters and the story is complete!!!


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

"Isn't this.....no it can't be. Is it? Alec? Isn't this the mayor's office?" Magnus craned his neck up to look at the building. "The call came from here? But it's the mayor's office."

"I only went where the signal is, Magnus. If the signal came from here, that's where I went. If the signal came from California, that's where I'd go." Alec approached the door and tried to push them open. "Locked. Strange. Usually there's guards out here. Two big guys dressed in black."

Magnus snorted. "Move out of the way. Let an expert handle this."

Alec watched as Magnus whipped out two silver tools from his jacket pocket. Carefully placing them inside the keyhole, he wiggled them around while humming the tune to "Jeopardy". The lock suddenly clicked open after a few moments, causing Magnus to beam proudly at his work. 

"Since when did you know how to pick locks?" Alec asked. 

"You do what you have to do, when you're 10 and your father kept the food padlocked in the fridge and wouldn't let you touch it. You learn. You adapt. Circle of life, Alexander," he pat Alec on the shoulder and went inside, the detective following close behind. 

The building appeared to be empty. Even the young lady who greeted Alec at the front desk wasn't even there anymore. When Magnus whistled, they could both hear the echo throughout the entire floor. The entire building was probably abandoned. 

Alec pressed the button for the elevator doors. "What are the chances the elevator will even be working?"

"Guess we'll just have to find out," Magnus pressed the button again. "I realize that pressing it again won't make it come any faster."

"We all want to believe that but yet we do it anyway," Alec paced as he wait for the elevator. "Why did you come with me? You could've stayed behind at the precinct where it was safe."

Magnus chuckled. "Who would cover your stubborn ass? Someone's got to make sure you don't get yourself killed."

"I'd be fine. I'm a trained professional."

"And even trained professionals can get hurt. Hence the reason why I'm here."

Alec clenched his jaw. He hated being treated like a baby. Or incapable. "I can handle myself. Besides, you don't even have a gun-" He stopped when Magnus pulled a gun out from is jacket and loaded it like a pro. "Where the fuck did you get a gun?"

"Hmm? Oh this is mine. I have more than one, you know. Protective purposes. Plus I have a license for this one. Wanna see it?"

Alec waved a hand. "No. It's fine. What else do you have in that jacket of yours?"

Magnus grinned. "Why don't you frisk me and find out?"

Alec was about to retort when the elevator doors finally opened....only to reveal no elevator inside.

"Well then. Unless you want to climb the elevator shaft?" Magnus looked up and down the empty elevator conveyor. 

Alec shook his head. "No thanks. I'll take the stairs. But feel free to start climbing now, if you'd like. I'll meet you in the basement."

Magnus snorted, the sound echoing in the elevator shaft. "I'm taking the stairs too. I'm not wearing my 'climbing down rusty elevator shaft' outfit. Plus my shoes are practically brand new. Only wore them once."

Alec quickly glanced down at Magnus' shoes them back up again. "Right. Whatever."

The basement was cold and wet. Alec's hands had gone numb after only a few minutes of being down there and it felt like the gun in his hands was frozen onto his skin. Even their breaths were visible down here. 

"Jesus. Why is it so cold down here?" Magnus pulled the collar of his jacket closer to his neck. 

"You're asking the wrong person. I have no idea," Alec breathed out. "Let's just grab Jace and get out before we freeze to death down here."

Magnus breathed out. Alec could feel his hot breath on his neck. He shivered. "If I die down here," Magnus began, "scatter my ashes across the sands of Egypt, will you? I've always wanted to go to Egypt. If I can't go there while I'm living, I'll go there in death."

Alec glanced over his shoulder at him. "I'm not scattering your ashes across the sands of Egypt. You're not even going to die down here. We'll be fine. We're armed and ready in case anything-"

Several gunshots rang out before Alec could finish his sentence. Instinctively, both men jumped for cover behind two tall columns that held the ceiling up. The gunshots were bouncing off the stone walls in front of them, causing the stone to crack and shatter somewhat. 

"What do we do now?! Start making funeral arrangements?!" Magnus yelled over the gunfire. 

Alec swore under his breath. "On the count of three, get your gun ready and start firing back. Cover me. I'll flank them from behind and take them out that way."

Magnus nodded, readying his gun. 

Alec took a deep breath. "One......two......"

"Gentleman! Drop your weapons! You're completely surrounded! Also, I've told my men to stop shooting at you so it's safe to come out now!" A man's voice echoed throughout the basement. 

Alec and Magnus glanced at each other. They both shared the same wary yet confused expression. 

"How rude. He didn't even let you say three," Magnus rolled his eyes. "Should I drop my weapon in surrender?"

"Yeah....I think that would be best considering we're surrounded," Alec stepped out from behind the column, hands raised in surrender. "I just want my brother back. That's all. We don't mean any harm."

A man stepped out from the shadows, chuckling to himself. "If you didn't mean any harm, then why did you bring weapons along with you?"

Alec inhaled sharply as the man came into view. He was average head with a bald head and stubble growing on his face. His face had a sneer of an expression on it as he stared at Alec coldly. His suit looked expensive; almost as expensive as Magnus' Italian leather shoes. 

"Valentine," Alec whispered. 

"The one and only," Valentine said, bowing dramatically. "Of course, you must know by now what I'm after and why I'm after it."

"We do. And you're not getting it. Do you know how many lives you could ruin by using the CUP for your own personal agenda?!" Alec took a step forward but guns were instantly pointed at him. 

"My men will shoot you if you get too close, Detective. Now drop your weapons and kick them over. Then we'll have a little chat. Make a deal, of sorts."

Alec glanced back at Magnus, who nodded. They both hesitantly dropped their guns and slid them over to where Valentine stood. Before Alec could say protest, his hands were pinned behind his back and zipped tied together. 

"Is this really necessary?" Alec winced as the tight cords around his wrists cut into his skin. 

"Can't be too careful. You're not the first people to come in here and make a deal to free their loved one," Valentine turned his heel and began to walk away. 

Magnus gasped. "Tessa. What did you with her?!" He yelled as he was shoved from behind. "Did you kill her?!"

"Kill her? No. I freed her. The other one too. Jem. The two made such a huge scene when they saw each other that I couldn't take much of it anymore. So I let them go."

Alec snorted sarcastically. He and Magnus were following behind Valentine as they walked through a maze of corridors that he didn't even expect to be down in the basement. "How nice of you. But what about Jace? Is he still alive?"

"Of course I'm alive, Alec. What kind of a stupid question is that?" 

Alec peered over Valentine's shoulder and his jaw fell to the floor. Jace was casually sitting at a table eating a sandwich as if nothing was wrong and he wasn't kidnapped by Valentine. 

"Jace? What the hell are you doing?" Alec asked. 

Jace looked up from his food. "I'm eating, Alec. I'm sure you're quite familiar with the concept." He indicated the chairs in front of him. "Take a seat, gentleman. Valentine will begin discussions with you momentarily."

Magnus and Alec sat down across from Jace at the table as he continued to eat. He had a glass of wine as well as plain potato chips for dessert. He looked unharmed for the most part. But why was he just sitting there like nothing was going on?

"Jace....what's going on here?" Alec whispered. "Weren't you kidnapped?"

"Kidnapped? Oh god no. I came here willingly. I had information that Valentine might find useful. Turns out it was. So I earned myself a sandwich. Want a bite?"

Magnus watched Jace carefully, scrutinizing his every move. "I should've known it was you, Blondie. Something about you smelled funny since the day we met."

Alec looked at him. "Magnus, what are you talking about?"

Magnus sighed. "Alexander, I know you probably don't want to hear this but.....Jace is the mole."

Alec's head whipped around so fast to look at his brother that he felt something crack in his neck. "No. Jace, tell me it's not true-"

"Oh it's true. Magnus is right. I'm the mole. I was the mole all along. Leaking bits of info here and there without you two even noticing. How do you think Valentine found out that you knew about the underground computers?"

Alec strained against his restraints. "How could you?! What about dad?! What do you think he'd say if he saw you right now?!"

Jace sighed as he wiped off a bit of mustard that was on the corner of his mouth. "He'd be disappointed. I know he would be. But sometimes you have to do what's best for you-"

"And this is what you thought was best for you?" Magnus pointed out. "Because you've made a really bad decision here, Jace. It's going to come back and bite you in the ass if you don't do the right thing and get out now while you still can."

Jace laughed so hard that his entire body shook. "Leave? Why would I leave? I'm getting paid for this. More than I could ever make even if I worked in the police force for ten years. I'm going to be a rich man soon."

"Clary won't stand for this. Once she finds out where the money came from-" Alec was cut off when Jace reached over and grabbed him by the cuff of his jacket. "You don't scare me, Jace. So you can grab me and beat the shit out of me all you want but it won't make a damn difference. By the end of all this, you'll still be my brother. I'll still love you no matter what."

Jace stared him down for a minute before letting him go. "Cute. You assume I have feelings. I don't. Sit tight while I go get Valentine. I think it's about time he cut you a deal."

"A deal?! You're fucking working with him! That kind of beats the purpose of us being here!" Magnus shouted as Jace left the room. He sighed heavily, looking absolutely and utterly defeated. "Well this sucks. I doubt this can get any worse."

"Don't jinx it," Alec muttered to him as he tugged at his restraints again. 

The door to the room opened and Valentine waltzed in. He now wore a pair of bronze knuckles around his right hand and had a devious look in his eyes. He looked oddly excited about something. 

"Jace told me you have the CUP with you. Is this true?"

Alec shook his head. "No. We don't have it. We don't know where it is."

Valentine sighed. "You know, I was so hoping it wouldn't have to come down to this...."

All Alec felt in the next moment was a shock of pain across his jaw as Valentine punched him with the knuckles. He yelled, his head twisting to the side. 

"Stop it! Please! I have the CUP. I have it. Just don't hurt Alec anymore," Magnus breathed out as if Alec's pain were his own. "Hit me all you want but leave him out of this."

"Jace said you'd say something like that. You like the raven haired one, do you? That'll just make things more interesting then-"

"NO!" Magnus yelled as Valentine raised his hand hit Alec in the face again. "I have he CUP in my pocket! Please, you have to believe me!"

Alec spit out a mouthful of blood. His jaw already looked bruised and swollen. "Shut up, Magnus. Stop talking."

Valentine lowered his arm. "I'll take your word for it. But if you're lying to me, I won't hesitate to slit your boyfriend's throat and make you watch him bleed out in front of you."

Magnus gulped. "Left pocket. In a plastic baggy. It's all yours."

Reaching into Magnus' pocket, Valentine smirked as he pulled out the baggy with the chip inside. "Ah. There you are. I've been looking all over for you." He looked at Magnus. "You've been a great help, Mr. Bane. Now if you'll excuse me. I have something I have to do that I've been waiting to do for years. Guards!" Three men came into the room with guns hanging around their shoulders. "Finish them off and try not to make a mess of it either. I hate having to get a cleanup crew in here."

Magnus' eyes widened as the men held up their guns and pointed it at Alec and himself. "You son of a bitch! We gave you what you wanted! Now let us go!"

Suddenly, Alec broke free from the zip cords around his wrists and grabbed the closest man with a gun, slamming him into the cement wall beside him. The other men didn't even have time to react when Alec grabbed a metal bar above his head and pulled himself up, kicking the other two of the armed men with his feet and knocking them backwards; their skulls cracked against the wall behind them, knocking them out cold. 

"Alec! Behind you!" Magnus cried as the first man Alec took down got back up. His face was covered in blood.

Alec whirled around just in time when a knife whizzed past his face and into the wall. He grabbed the man back the wrist, kicking him behind the knee and shoved with as much pressure as he could into the man's back, dislocating his shoulder. The man screamed in agony only for a split second before Alec punched him in the face and knocked him out cold. 

Magnus stared at the bodies on the floor. "How did you get free?"

Alec took the knife from the wall and cut Magnus free. "There was a nail sticking out of my chair. Been scratching against it the entire time. Wearing it down."

Magnus rubbed his wrists as they became free. "I could seriously kiss you right now. You're so badass. It's hot."

Alec blushed and smiled. "Come on. Let's get the CUP and get out of here."

"What about Jace?"

"Jace made his choice. This is mine."

Valentine wasn't too far from the room they were held captive in (Alec was surprised he didn't hear the yelling as it happened). He was speaking to Jace in a low voice and emphasizing something with his now gloved hands as Jace listened intently, eating up every word Valentine was saying. 

"Let's be stealthy about this," Magnus whispered. "Think about-"

"Valentine!" Alec yelled. "Let Jace go and we'll leave you alone!"

"So much for stealthy," Magnus rolled his eyes. 

Valentine turned around to face them. "How did you get loose? Ugh. That's no matter. I've won. I have the CUP."

"And I told you I'm not going anywhere with you, remember? We've been over this already," Jace crossed his arms over his chest and sneered. 

Alec frowned. "But you're my brother. We've been brothers since we were kids. I can't just let you go dark side, Jace. This isn't you. Valentine has you brainwashed."

"You're so fucking naive, Alec. Open your eyes! This is the real me! I hated living with you and the Lightwoods! All Maryse did was talk about her perfect children and how smart they are and all the wonderful things they've accomplished so far in their lives!" Jace was breathing heavily now; he was angry. "Look at Max! He's already reading books on how to be an eye doctor! He's taking high school level courses in the fourth grade! And look at Izzy! She's almost finished law school and she's a genius when it comes to computers! And then there's you! Perfect Alec Lightwood! The golden boy who can do no wrong! He's tall, he's handsome, smart as hell and gets all of the attention!"

"Me? Get all of the attention?!" Alec snorted. "That's golden. Mom damn near rejected me for being gay, Jace. It wouldn't even surprise me if she already has. And it was you who got all of the attention growing up! Your gold hair, your different coloured eyes. You stood out. I didn't."

"I WAS A STRAY THEY TOOK IN OFF THE STREET! THEY PITIED ME!"

The air was thick with tension as the boys stared at each other from a distance. 

Valentine sighed loud enough for Alec and Magnus to hear down the hallway. "I grow tired of this. Jace, you've been of great help but I no longer require your services."

A gunshot echoed down the hall and Alec felt as if the world was suddenly moving in slow motion as Jace fell to his knees and eventually collapsed to the ground. Valentine took one look at the body before smirking, escaping though the late metal doors behind him, dropping the gun to the floor. A pool of blood began to form around Jace's body as well as underneath him. 

That's when Alec screamed. 

And screamed. 

And screamed.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Alec screamed until his throat was raw, all while holding Jace's limp body in his arms and he sobbed and cradled his little brother back and forth on the floor until he was numb on the inside. 

"Alec....." Magnus knelt down on the floor. He didn't care if the blood was ruining the soles of his shoes. Alec's brother was just murdered in cold blood in front of him. "We need to call this in. That's what you do when there's an officer down, right?"

Alec said nothing. He just stared straight ahead and held Jace close to his chest. His eyes were swollen and red from crying; he looked broken and defeated. 

"Alec, please. Jace deserves a proper funeral. Regardless of his choices in the end. We all deserve to go to Heaven."

At the mention of Heaven, Alec's gaze flickered to look at Magnus. When he spoke, his voice was gravelly and crackling. "Valentine needs to pay."

Magnus nodded. "And he will. We're going to catch him and he's going to prison for everything he's ever done."

"No. No," Alec shook his head quickly. "He needs to die. I'm going to find him and I'm going to kill him."

"You're not killing him. He doesn't deserve that. He doesn't deserve to go that way. That would only be too sweet for him. Don't you think prison time would suit him better? Have him rot behind bars with nothing but scratchy blankets, an orange jumpsuit and a bar of soap you're supposed to make last a year?"

Alec gently placed Jace's body on the floor beside him. "No. Don't you think Jace deserved to live? He didn't have to die. Valentine could've let him go but instead he shot him. Valentine shot my brother, Magnus. Killed him in cold blood. Jace isn't stupid. He just does stupid things. Like this. But he didn't deserve to die."

Magnus said nothing as Alec went over and picked up the gun Valentine used to shoot Jace. "And where do you suspect we find him next? All our leads mean nothing now. Everything we worked for. Everything we've been through-"

"We'll find new leads. Something has to  lead to him eventually. That's the way the world works," Alec checked the ammo of the gun. "Are you coming with me or not?"

Before Magnus could respond, the metal door that Valentine escaped through burst open and men dressed in black with the letters SWAT on them swarmed in, all yelling at the same time. 

"Get down on your knees now!"

"Drop the weapon, Lightwood!"

"Put the gun down and put your hands in the air!"

"You too, Bane!"

Alec dropped the gun and slowly got to his knees, hands in the air. Magnus did the same. "What the fuck is going on here!"

"We could ask you the same thing," a familiar voice spat. Lydia came in, hair tied back in a tight bun and a bulletproof vest on. She glanced down at Jace's dead body and scowled. "Decided to go rogue, did you? How much did he offer?"

"Wh-what? I don't know what you're talking about!" Alec winced as he was handcuffed. "Are you saying I killed Jace?!"

"I'm not saying anything. I don't have to. We have proof that you killed Jace. Cuff the other one too," Lydia ordered the SWAT team. 

"Me? What did I do?! Alec didn't kill Jace! It was Valentine! Jace was the-" Magnus froze when Alec glared at him. Even in death, Alec still wouldn't rat out his brother. "Best guy ever. He was the best. But it wasn't Alec. You can quote me on that."

"Oh we're going to quote you on a lot of things. In interrogation, that is. Bring them in, boys. And get a body bag for Jace. See if the bullet matches that inside the murder weapon."

Alec didn't fight as the SWAT team pulled him to his feet. He knew it was easier just to listen rather than resist. He's arrested people hundreds of times in his career. But never, not in a million years, has he ever imagined being on the other side of the spectrum. Seeing through the criminal's point of view. 

In the back of the SWAT van, Alec and Magnus sat next to each other as they were taken back to the precinct for interrogation. They said nothing to each other, but Magnus angled himself so that he was gently holding Alec's hand from behind their backs. 

Alec looked up into Magnus' eyes and smiled softly, nodding at an unspoken question. 

Magnus smiled back, leaning in and kissing Alec's shoulder reassuringly before letting unfair justice decide their fate. 

**********

"All my life....seeing my dad come in here to talk to criminals....I never thought it would be one day who is the one getting interrogated instead."

Magnus and Alec sat side by side in the interrogation room waiting for Lydia to come back with her so called "proof" of Alec killing Jace. Neither one of them had any idea what she meant by that and the whole thing sounded ludicrous to them. How can they have proof when Jace's murder only happened minutes before they came storming into the basement?

"Well if it's any consolation, there's no one I'd rather be accused of murder with than you," Magnus shrugged. 

Alec stared at him. "Are you kidding me right now? Are you seriously trying to see a bright side to this whole fucking situation? Because I don't see anything good coming out of this. Nothing. At all."

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood here. Geez. You act like you just got accused of murder or something."

Alec tried to lunge at him but his cuffs prevented him from moving very far. So instead, he settled with a death glare. 

The door opened and Lydia came in, followed by Robert. He had a sad expression on his face. 

"Dad! Dad, tell her. I didn't do it! Jace was my brother! He was working with Valentine- Valentine killed Jace!" Alec shouted. When his father said nothing, Alec felt his heart stutter in his chest. "Dad.....why aren't you saying anything?"

Robert shook his head. "I can't, son. She has pretty solid evidence. I wish I could do something, kiddo....."

"He's your son. You're not even going to try and fight for his freedom?!" Magnus yelled. "What kind of cop are you? Help him! He's your flesh and blood!"

Robert looked down at the floor, saying nothing. 

"Alright. If we're done yelling at each other here, I would like to present the evidence to our accused. Oh by the way, Mr. Bane? You're free to go."

Alec whipped his head to look at Magnus then back at Lydia. "What? Why? Why's he free to go?"

Lydia laid out a folder on the table. "There's no evidence that says he's involved in the murder of Jace Wayland-"

"Lightwood. Jace is a Lightwood," Alec growled at her. 

Lydia didn't even flinch under his icy stare. "Was a Lightwood, detective. Jace was a Lightwood. Now if you'll turn your attention to the folder before you, I would like to show you the proof that's compiled up against you involving this case. You can leave now, Mr. Bane."

Magnus shook his head. "No. I know Alec didn't kill Jace. I was there. Put me in that lie detector test thingy. I'll prove it to you."

"That doesn't prove anything, Mr. Bane. It doesn't save the fact that there's evidence-actual evidence in this folder right in front of you, that proves that Alec killed Jace."

Lydia opened the folder. Photos of the crime scene were then laid out before Alec and Magnus. The photos were gruesome. They made the scene look even more saddening than when they were actually there. The blood on the floor. The murder weapon. Jace's pale, dead face. 

Alec almost vomit in his mouth. "I'm telling you right now that I didn't do it."

"And I'm telling you right now that your fingerprints were all over the murder weapon. Forensics tested the slug that was inside Jace's skull to see if it matched the weapon. Turns out it did. Plus we got a voicemail just before the murder happened."

Alec stared at her. "A voicemail? That's impossible. He wasn't on the phone when he was killed. No one was."

Lydia placed a recorder on the table. "Sounds like Jace to me. Have a listen." 

She pressed play and sure enough, Jace's voice came through the recording. 

"Hey dad. I'm following a lead right now so I won't make it home tonight for dinner. I can't get a hold of Alec-oh here he is now. Alec!" He paused. "Alec what the hell are you doing? Put the gun down! Alec don't-"

The gunshot made Alec flinch in fright; his heart was pounding in his chest. "I didn't kill him."

"So you keep saying. But this is some pretty compelling evidence, Alexander. Even I can't just ignore it," Lydia gathered the photos and put them back into the folder. "I hate to say this Alec, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you in."

Alec let out a shaky sigh. "Take me in?"

"Alexander Lightwood, you're under arrest for the murder of police officer Jace Wayland."

Alec bit back a sob. "Dad, do something. Please. Don't let them take me away without a fair trial."

Robert smiled sadly. "I can't, son. It's not under my jurisdiction."

Magnus slammed a hand on the table. "Fuck jurisdiction! He's your son! Help him!"

Lydia pulled Alec up to his feet and held his handcuffed hands behind his back. "I'm sorry, Alec. I really am."

"Fuck you. You're not sorry. You're only too happy about this. Valentine got away but at least you got the next best thing. The cop who screwed up the case."

Lydia said nothing as she pushed him along down the hallway. The other officers in the building stopped to watch, whispering amongst themselves with shocked expressions on their faces. 

"Alec!" A voice shrieked. Isabelle races around the corner and embraced him. "I just heard the news. They're prosecuting you?"

"Seems that way. What are you doing here?"

Isabelle stood up straighter. "I'm appointing myself as your attorney and will be representing you in court. If our father isn't going to help you then I'll be damned if I don't die trying. You're my brother. I love you."

Alec smiled. "Thanks Izzy but I don't think that's going to make a difference."

Isabelle frowned. "Can we at least try?"

Alec glanced down at her. She looked so small and fragile. The death of Jace was getting to her but she tried her best not to show it. "Yeah. We can try."

Lydia began to shove him along again when another familiar face stepped in front of him. Clary now stood in front of Alec, glaring up at him with nothing but pure hatred in her eyes. 

"Did you enjoy it?" She asked. 

"Clary, I can explain-"

A resounding crack sounded as Clary slapped Alec in the face, hard, with her hand. He winced but said nothing. 

"That was for Jace, you son of a bitch. All these years I've known you and loved you like a brother. Then you go and kill the only man I've ever loved?!"

Tears rolled down her face as she began to sob. Isabelle hugged her tightly and gave Alec a sma smile as she led Clary to the conference room to talk to her quietly. 

"Anyone else want to talk to him before I lock him up? Or slap him?" Lydia called out. "No one? Alright. Let's go, Lightwood. Start counting down the days until your trial. I have a bad feeling it isn't going to end well."

**********

A few months later

"We the jury hereby announce that Alexander Gideon Lightwood............guilty of the murder of Jonathan Wayland."

Alec felt his heart sink as the words left the jury member's mouth. Behind him, he heard his mother burst into tears and his father reassured her quietly. Beside him, Isabelle clenched her hands into fists under the table, trying not to cry herself. He reached under and squeezed her hand. 

"It's okay, Izzy. I'm okay with the results," he whispered. 

"Well I'm not! You're going away to prion, Alec. For life! You'll be lucky if you get the chair and face an early death! Nobody wants to rot away in jail." She held in her tears just as the judge hit the gavel three times to order silence. 

"Order! With that being said, I declare this case closed and Alexander Lightwood to be transferred immediately. Court dismissed."

Everyone got to their feet and began to make their way out. Magnus stepped in front of Alec and hugged him tightly. Before the officer could take him away. 

"I'm going to get you out of that hellhole, Alec. You can bet on that," Magnus whispered. "I'll do everything in my power."

"You can't buy my freedom, Magnus. This is justice-"

"Justice can suck my dick. This is unfair. You're being accused of something you didn't do and it hurts to watch because I freaking know you didn't do it," Magnus breathed in deep before continuing. "I love you, Alexander. With every fiber of my being. And so help me god, I will get you out of prison and get your name cleared. No matter what it takes."

Magnus pulled Alec into him and planted his lips onto Alec's. The kiss felt rushed; like it was the last kiss Alec would ever get for the rest of his life. 

When Alec pulled away, he smiled softly at Magnus before the officer handcuffed his wrists together and led him out to the squad car. Magnus stood at the top of the courthouse steps, face sad as he watched Alec get into the backseat of the prisoner transfer van. 

"There's no windows where you're headed, Lightwood. My advice would be to take in the view now while you still can. You're not going to be seeing much for the next while," the cop told him as he climbed inside the back of the van. 

Alec looked up at Magnus at the top of the stairs. "I know," he said. "And I am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well gang this is the final chapter of Arrested. Lots of blood, sweat and tears were shed during this story. But I'm glad it turned out the way it did. 
> 
> As for the sequel, I won't be posting that until September. I'm taking a bit of a break for now but feel free to keep commenting and leaving a kudos. That will motivate me to keep going. 
> 
> Y'all have been awesome. Seriously. You kept me going even when I was ready to jump off a cliff and give up on this. So thank you so much for keeping me going. 
> 
> Stay tuned for story #2, "Sentenced"!!!


	26. Bonus Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a scene I cut out from chapter nine when Magnus and Alec were getting ready to go to Pandemonium. Alec and Chairman share a cute moment together.

When Magnus headed into the bathroom to freshen up, Alec sat at the counter in the kitchen with a glass of water. Magnus had suggested he should "get a little buzz on" before they actually got to the club but Alec had made it pretty clear that he didn't drink. Not even to get a little buzz.

He was about to take another sip when Chairman Meow jumped up onto the counter and meowed softly. Alec set down his glass and smiled at the cat.

"Hey, Chairman. How you doing, little guy?" Alec stroked the cat's fur, feeling it purr under his fingers. "Magnus has this insane plan, you know. Go to Pandemonium to search for clues. But first he insists I get a little drunk."

Chairman sat in front of him and rubber up against his knuckles.

"I know. Crazy, right? How can anyway think straight when they're drunk? Even a little bit buzzed dogs the mind," Alec gently poked Chairman on the nose. The cat blinked in response. "Luckily you won't ever have that problem. No one will ever ask you to have a drink with them. Or do foolish things."

Chairman burped and licked his lips, lifting a paw to lick it.

"You know it's like.....you have this plan for your life, right? And you know what you need to do and what your responsibilities are and you think you know 'if you follow the rules everything's gonna be fine'. Then somebody comes along and....."

Alec inhaled and exhaled, causing Chairman to sneeze as air was blown in his face.

".....pushes you off that path. You just....the point is, I'm a cop. Emotions get in the way. And if you get knocked off the path, you have to focus and find your way back."

Chairman let out a chirp and pressed a warm nose to Alec's, closing his eyes and purring softly as he licked Alec.

Alec smiled. "You're a good boy, Chair. Such a good boy....." He whispered as he rubbed Chairman's chin. The cat erupted into purrs and collapsed to his side, face pressed up against Alec's arm.

Magnus came out of the bathroom with a freshly shaven face and styled hair. "Hey. You ready to go? Jace is probably waiting for us downstairs."

Alec nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready. You look-you look nice. Really nice."

Magnus waved a hand. "Oh shut up. I always look nice. But thank you for the compliment. You look nice too."

Alec flushed but turned his head so Magnus couldn't see he pink that flashed across his cheeks. "Right. Let's do this."

Magnus nodded. "Agreed. Let's go catch some bad guys. Chairman! Mind the apartment, would you? Don't let it get robbed like you did to mine."

Chairman rolled his eyes and stretched out across the counter, yawning.

"Rude. I feed you and give you a roof over your head. The least you can do is defend the place. Turn into a lion or some shit." Magnus checked his reflection before opening the elevator doors. "Alec? You coming?"

Alec gave Chairman a quick rub. "Yeah. I'm coming. Don't let Magnus get to you, okay Chair? You're a good boy."

Chairman blinked sleepily before closing his eyes and going to sleep.


	27. Bonus Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a scene I had originally planned for chapter ten where Isabelle accessed Pandemonium's security cameras from her dorm room. Alec and Magnus had originally went to her dorm after going to the club to see if she could access it.

"So Isabelle is a lawyer?" Magnus asked on the elevator ride to Isabelle's dorm room.

"Law student. Not officially a lawyer yet. Though she acts like one most of the time," Alec looked at his reflection in the wall beside him and grimaced. "I look like crap."

Magnus glanced at him. "You look like someone who had a good time tonight. Your eyes are brighter. You have a bit of color on your cheeks. Though that could be from the alcohol but all the same. You look good."

Frowning, Alec shoved his hands down in his jeans pockets. He couldn't get his mind off their kiss at the club, no matter how hard he tried to forget about it. Magnus had incredible lips. Those lips aren't something one could forget about that easily. If he thought about really hard, he swore he could still feel them tingling a little.

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Alec led the way (since he knew where Isabelle's dorm was). Girls in the hallway stopped and stared at the two men, whispering to their friends and giggling as Alec and Magnus walked past.

"Holy fuck he's tall."

"Did you see his arms oh my god."

"I wonder if that's his boyfriend he's with?"

"I hope he's not gay. All the cute ones are always gay."

Alec closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the girl's voices. Magnus must've noticed this because he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked.

Alec nodded. "I'm fine. Let's just get this over with. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

They reached Isabelle's door and knocked. Not even three seconds later, the door burst open and Isabelle stood in the doorway dressed in sweats and a sports jersey.

"Oh. Hey. Remind me again why you're here? I'm a bit distracted at the moment," she quickly tied her messy hair back. Magnus could see messy hair ran in the family.

"Distracted with what?" Alec tried to peer inside her room but Isabelle quickly blocked his view. "Izzy, we have to come in eventually. I need you to do me a favor."

Isabelle made a face. "What is it?"

Alec lowered his voice before speaking. "We need you to access the security camera footage of Pandemonium and send it to my place.

Isabelle stared at him. "Is that it?"

"Yes. That's it. Thanks, Izzy," Alec smiled. He waited for when Isabelle was about to shut the door before sticking his foot between the door and the hall. Isabelle yelped.

"For fuck's sake, Alec? What the fuck is wrong with you?!" She tried to haul him back out into the hallway but it was too late. He was already in her room and staring at the girl in her bed.

"Uh-" He swallowed, looking away from the half naked girl. "Sorry. Izzy what the hell is going on in here?"

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged. "Nothing. Nothing's going on."

"It doesn't look like nothing. Who's she? Because if I recall correctly, you're dating Meliorn-"

"Meliorn, Smeliorn. I like experimenting. Plus....I think I might be bisexual."

"Nothing wrong with that," Magnus said from the doorway with a smile on his face.

"I'm Maia, by the way. In case y'all were wondering who the half naked chick in your sister's bed was," said the girl as she covered up her chest. "You must be Alec."

Alec gave her a small wave. "Yeah. Hi, Maia. Nice to meet you. Izzy-"

"You won't tell mom and dad, will you? About this?"

Alec looked at his sister in surprise. "Of corse not. You protected me all these years. I'd never out you."

Isabelle let out a deep sigh. "Thank you, Alec. Thank you so much." She held Alec in a tight embrace and chuckled. "I'm not ready to come out yet. I still have to be sure."

Alec nodded as he looked at Magnus. "Take all the time you need. No one's going to hate you either way. I'll still love you no matter what."

Isabelle kissed his cheek. "You're the best big brother ever. Since you're so nice, I'll get on the secret cop stuff right now for you. Expect the stuff to be ready for you as soon as you get home."

"Thanks Izzy. You're the best. Be safe tonight, okay?" Alec kissed the top of her head and showed himself out the door. It closed softly behind him.

"You just made your sister's life just then. You should be very proud of yourself, Alexander," Magnus whispered.

"She kept my secret for this long so I'm keeping hers. It's what you do for family," Alec pressed the down button to the elevator. "Besides. I knew she kind of liked girls anyway."

Magnus glanced at him. "Really? How?"

Alec smirked. "It's a secret. Remember?"


	28. Important Info!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you know that story #2, Sentenced, is now up and ready to read! So head on over and give it a read when you're all done here. Link is below!

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8070814/chapters/18493294

Also, I'll still be posting bonus chapters here so keep an eye out for them!


	29. Bonus Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally had a little scene planned in chapter eleven just after Magnus and Jace tracked down Alec's badge. Alec is in the alley delirious with pain. These are the thoughts he's having as he's laying there unconscious.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain.

Alec wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been laying in the dark and damp alley. He wasn't even sure if anyone was ever going to find him. He may very well just die here by himself. Bleed out. Get eaten by stray cats and alley rats. Either one would be a welcome exit to the pain he was feeling throughout his entire body.

A rat moved past his head but he was too stiff and sore to even bother moving. His face didn't feel like his own. He couldn't quite feel his legs. Did he still have his tongue? He checked. His tongue was still there. Camille's goons didn't cut it off in the heat of the moment. How nice of them.

The ground was wet. He knew this because there was a cold dampness creeping along his back. It wasn't blood. Blood would be warm. It hadn't rained since last night but in New York, it was rarely dry. When it did rain, everyone practically had to build a metaphorical ark for 40 days and 40 nights. It rained for days sometimes.

It started raining when Alec tried to move again. The rain pelted down on his face so hard it felt like needles poking at his skin. With more rain meant only more rats; Alec could hear them squeaking around his head, trying to get a bite in. He moved to try and shake them off, but it only resulted in a wave of agony throughout his entire body.

Someone called out to him off in the distance. The voice sounded muffled; like someone had stuffed cotton inside his ears. The more he tried to strain his hearing, the worse the sound got. So he gave up altogether.

"Alec? Are you here?" The voice called out again. It sounded closer than the first time and much more familiar.

Struggling to sit up, Alec croaked "Magnus?" before falling back down against the wet cement. He didn't have the strength to move in case it was someone from Camille's office coming back for a round two.

More voices. More pain. Alec was aware that he was answering questions but wasn't sure what questions were being asked. The last thing he remembered was that he grabbed Magnus' hand as a wave of pain went through him, and the darkness overtook him again.


End file.
